Moonshine Post Finishing Grant Unveiled at Atlanta Film Festival 2024: Empowering Georgia's Independent Filmmakers

Atlanta, GA — Tuesday, May 14, 2024 — Moonshine Post Production, in collaboration with the Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF), is proud to announce its latest initiative: the Moonshine Post Finishing Grants.

In an industry that has navigated a global pandemic, followed by industry strikes, Moonshine Post and its partners are dedicated to empowering filmmakers and supporting their creative endeavors. The Moonshine Post Finishing Grants provide crucial assistance to filmmakers, enabling them to bring their visions to life.

The 2024 Post Finishing Grants were awarded to the Best Georgia Short and Best Georgia Feature at the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival. The grants are intended to provide color finishing for independent filmmakers that go through the Atlanta FIlm Festival official lineup. The first grant, valued at $4,000, will be awarded to a filmmaker who requires finishing for their short film; the second grant, valued at $25,000. The filmmakers who were awarded these grants were selected by the Atlanta Film Festival.

Past recipients of the grant, such as Kayla Johnson, 2022 ATLFF official filmmaker of the short, “I Am Jalaiah”, have praised Moonshine Post for its professionalism and dedication to nurturing emerging talents. Through initiatives like the Finishing Grant, Moonshine Post continues to uphold its commitment to fostering a vibrant and inclusive film community in Georgia.

Jenna Kanell and Raymond Wood (who won Best Georgia Feature for their film “Faceless After Dark”), along with Julio Palacio (who won Best Georgia Short for their film “Makayla’s Voice”) were awarded the grants on May 5, 2024 during the Atlanta Film Festival’s Filmmakers’ Brunch.

“Receiving the Georgia Film Award at the Atlanta Film Festival — an event I’ve been attending as an avid cinephile for nearly 20 years now — along with this Finishing Grant from Moonshine Post — another organization I’ve admired since (literally) day one — is an incredible honor, and one that I do not take lightly given the many talented filmmakers in the Southeast who are equally deserving of this level of support. As someone devoted to promoting inclusivity and equity both on-screen and off, I know that grants like these are crucial to helping us tell the kinds of stories that need to be told, and we are endlessly grateful for Moonshine’s continued support of homegrown, grassroots, independent filmmaking,” recent finishing grant winner, Raymond Wood, said.

Drew Sawyer, founder and Managing Partner of Moonshine Post, emphasizes the importance of community support in nurturing Georgia's creative economy. "I wouldn’t be here if my mentors and colleagues didn’t pay it forward," Sawyer said, highlighting the collaborative spirit that defines Georgia's film industry.

Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of Atlanta Film Society and ATLFF, echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the role of grassroots initiatives in nurturing local talent. Through year-round programming and events like the Atlanta Film Festival, the Atlanta Film Society serves as a cornerstone of Georgia's filmmaking community.

The unveiling of the Moonshine Post Finishing Grant at the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival exemplifies Atlanta’s commitment to supporting its filmmakers and fostering a thriving creative ecosystem. As Georgia continues to dance through challenges, Moonshine Post remains dedicated to pouring back into the community and supporting the next generation of Georgia filmmakers.

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For more information about the Moonshine Post Finishing Grant and other initiatives, please contact Brooke Sonenreich, Events and Education Director at Moonshine Post.

Media Contact:

Brooke Sonenreich

brooke@moonshinepost.com

(305) 298-5785

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About Moonshine Post Production

Moonshine Post Production is a leading post-production company based in Atlanta, Georgia, dedicated to providing high-quality services to filmmakers of all backgrounds. With a commitment to nurturing local talent and fostering a vibrant creative community, Moonshine Post is proud to support the next generation of Georgia filmmakers.

About Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF)

The Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) is one of the largest and longest-running film festivals in the United States, celebrating the best in independent cinema from around the world. Founded in 1976, ATLFF showcases a diverse range of films and hosts industry events, workshops, and networking opportunities for filmmakers and enthusiasts alike.

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL + CREATIVE CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES 2024 AWARD WINNERS AND EVENT RESULTS

ATLANTA, GA (May 17, 2024) — The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) is proud to announce the award winners for the 2024 festival, which took place from Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024.
Today’s announcement recognizes filmmakers in 15 categories for their achievements and cinematic excellence. Winners of the Narrative Short, Animated Short and Documentary Short Jury Awards not only proudly took home their awards, but now also qualify for the 2024 Academy Awards®. Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject). 

Most award winners were chosen by distinguished jurors from all backgrounds across the film industry. The Audience Awards were determined by in-person attendees. 

This year, Michael Showalter, director of “The Idea of You” was presented with the Rebel Award. The Rebel Award honors someone who has shunned the typical industry expectations and paved their own path, in defiance of both norms and naysayers. This award is inspired by Atlantans who haven’t been afraid to break the mold, speak out and create change.

Additionally, Bill Duke, Director of “DEEP COVER” was honored with the Ossie Davis Award for Innovation in Filmmaking. Named in honor of one of Georgia’s most beloved and distinctive film talents, this award recognizes creative excellence and dynamic contributions to the art of cinema while also promoting human dignity and social justice.

With 118 countries represented in the selections, more than 24% of films had ties to Georgia filmmakers.  The 142 total creative works from submissions featured diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world. Of the selections, 49% are directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary, and 59% are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Eleven Marquee screenings combined Hollywood star power with the best of independent film. 

Continuing with a hybrid model of in-person screenings and digital screenings, the 2024 event drew in over 20,000 total attendees. Over 16,000 people attended 153 screenings, panels, and events held primarily at The Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre with select events at the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Fox Theatre and Fulton County Airport in addition to a variety of restaurants and bars across the city, during the 11-day festival. An additional nearly 4,000 people streamed screenings from ATLFF’s virtual catalog of 142 films and 13 virtual Creative Conference workshops, panels, or Masterclasses. 

With over a dozen of the in-person screenings selling out, the virtual presentation of the film catalog also proved to be a success. More than three months’ worth of content was streamed during the festival, with viewers in 32 U.S. states, and 10 countries across four inhabited continents. 

A full list of jury members with brief biographies is included below, as well as film information for all award winners and honorable mentions.

The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference took place from April 25 - May 5, 2024. ATLFF is currently accepting submissions for the 49th annual festival, which is confirmed to take place April 24 - May 4, 2025.

More information can be found at https://www.atlantafilmfestival.com/submit.   

2024 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS

SPECIAL AWARDS

The Rebel Award:

Presented ToWinner: Michael Showalter, Director of “The Idea of You”

Ossie Davis Award for Innovation in Filmmaking:

Presented ToWinner: Bill Duke, Director of “DEEP COVER”

JURY AWARDS

Best Documentary Feature:

Special Mention:  HAPPY CAMPERS, dir. Amy Nicholson

Winner: AMAKKI, dir. Célia Bousebaa

Best Narrative Feature:

Jury Special Mention:  ATIKAMEKW SUNS, dir. Chloe Leriche

Winner: THE BATTLE, dir. Vera Egito

Best Animated Short:

Winner: THE SUN IS BAD, dir. Rachel Mow

Best Documentary Short:

Winner: GOODBYE MORGANZA, dir. Devon Blackwell 

Best Narrative Short:

Jury Special Mentions:

ONE HAPPY CUSTOMER, dir. WATTS (Jenna & Tripp Watt)

MR. BOLD, dir. Aiman Mimiko

Winner:  SHUT UP AND FISH, dir. Raul Sanchez & Pasqual Gutierrez

Best Cinematography (Presented by Panavision and Light Iron):

Jury Special Mention: THE BATTLE, Cinematographer - William Etchebehere, dir. Vera Egito

Winner: ATIKAMEKW SUNS, Cinematographer - Glauco Bermudez, dir. Chloe Leriche

Georgia Feature Film Award:

Winner: FACELESS AFTER DARK, dir. Raymond Wood

Georgia Short Film Award:

Jury Special Mentions:

DEFINITELY NOT A MONSTER, dir. Brea Cola Angelo

PRELUDE OF A STORY, dir. Ashley Salman

Winner:  MAKAYLA’S VOICE, dir. Julio Palacio

AUDIENCE AWARDS

Feature Audience Award:

Winner: THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY, dir. Tyson Horne, Ryon Horne

Short Audience Award: 

Winner: MAKAYLA’S VOICE, dir. Julio Palacio

SCREENPLAY COMPETITION

Feature Screenplay: 

Feature Screenplay Winners: “Belonging” by Liz Fields, “HEARTRACE” by Will Bermender, and “Lo & Em” by Claire Audrey Aguayo

Pilot Screenplay: 

Pilot Screenplay Winner: “Gallatin” by Ryan Skinner

Short Screenplay: 

Short Screenplay Winner: “Handle With Care” by Allison Orr Block

JURORS

Narrative Feature Jury:

Jessica Chriesman, Director of Education - Sidewalk Film Festival

Jessica Chriesman is an award-winning filmmaker based in Birmingham, Alabama. She has worked as a director, producer, researcher, and/or cinematographer on projects for Twin Cities Public TV, Southern Foodways Alliance, Vox Creative, Alabama Public Television, Dirty Robber and more. She is the Director of Education and Outreach at Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema where she plans learning opportunities through the lens of film and media. In 2021, Jessica was named a Morgridge Acceleration Program Fellow working with the Jane Goodall Institute on their storytelling strategies. She has served as a grants panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Alabama State Council on the Arts and as a juror and programmer for film festivals across the South. Most recently, she programmed the Mississippi Made films for the 2024 Oxford Film Festival. She has led storytelling and filmmaking classes and workshops at UAB, Georgetown, and the University of Florida, and for the Jane Goodall Institute Africa Programs staff in Kigoma, Tanzania. Her films have screened across the United States and internationally.

Ryan Prows, Director, Writer

Ryan is a filmmaker, a gentleman, and a bon vivant par excellence. Or as Jason Bailey of The New York Times puts it: “Prows has a singular, gonzo energy and delirious sense of cinematic style.”

He won a Student Academy Award for NARCOCORRIDO, his thesis film at the American Film Institute, and his cult debut feature film LOWLIFE was hailed by audiences and critics alike. “The lean, brutal, surprisingly affecting package of Ryan Prows' feature debut LOWLIFE is a seriously nasty treat.” - The Hollywood Reporter.

LOWLIFE was released through IFC Midnight, and made several Best of the Year and Top Ten lists, drawing favorable comparisons to PULP FICTION and the early work of Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino himself called the film “a real stroke of genius” and praised its writing and originality. Seriously.

V/H/S/94, a recent entry in the wildly popular horror franchise, was a New York Times Critic's Pick, named on Variety's list for Best Horror Movies of 2021, and was a blockbuster hit for Shudder as the service's biggest premiere ever. TERROR, Ryan’s segment, was named the #1 V/H/S segment across the entire franchise's six film history by Dread Central. “TERROR is a playful, lo-fi lark directed with humor and visual invention by Ryan Prows.” - New York Times

Ryan resides in Inglewood, CA with his lovely wife Megan and his absolutely perfect baby Marvel.

Jermaine Johnson, Manager / Academy Award Nominated Producer - 3 Arts Entertainment

Jermaine Johnson is a manager and Academy Award-nominated producer at the Beverly Hills-based 3 Arts Entertainment. Originally from New Jersey, he graduated from Rutgers and has spent over ten years building an impressive client roster in Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago (and is currently spearheading 3 Art’s expansion into Atlanta). He was featured in The Hollywood Reporter’s 35 Under 35 Next Gen 2020. Jermaine was an Executive Producer on the Image Award-nominated series FROM SCRATCH, currently streaming on Netflix, and is a Producer on Cord Jefferson's TIFF Audience Award winner and Academy Award-nominated film AMERICAN FICTION starring Jeffrey Wright.

Jermaine represents a wide variety of writers, directors, journalists, and comedians from many different backgrounds. Amongst these clients are Attica Locke (FROM SCRATCH, LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE, award-winning author of BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD), Azie Dungey (UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT, SWEETBITTER, TWENTIES), Cord Jefferson (Academy Award Winner for AMERICAN FICTION, Emmy award winner for WATCHMEN, SUCCESSION, THE GOOD PLACE), Julia Bicknell (YELLOWJACKETS, THE HAUNTING, 13 REASONS WHY), Justin Hillian (THE CHI, SNOWFALL), Jia Tolentino (TRICK MIRROR), Leann Bowen (WGA and Emmy winner for TED LASSO) and more. He prides himself on finding fresh voices in places where others don’t often look and giving them a platform to share their unique points of view and opinions.

Documentary Feature Jury:

Alexandra Fredricks, Non-Theatrical Distribution & International Sales

Enthusiastic about functioning as a bridge between creators, industry, and audiences — Alexandra Fredricks handles Non-Theatrical Distribution and International Sales at Oscilloscope Laboratories, a Brooklyn-based independent film distribution company founded in 2008 by Adam Yauch. Previously, she held the positions of Programming and Operations Senior Manager at Metrograph and Film Screening Operations Manager at the Doha Film Institute (DFI). She has over 15 years of international experience in film exhibition organizations and festivals in New York, Qatar, Canada, Australia and The Netherlands, and has served over the years on a number of Jury and Screening Committees, and as a talent liaison for New York Film Festival (NYFF).

Darcy McKinnon, Documentary Producer

Darcy McKinnon is a documentary filmmaker based in New Orleans, whose work focuses on the American South and the Caribbean. Recently released projects include  A King Like Me and Roleplay, premiering at SXSW 2024, Commuted (PBS, 2024), Algiers, America (Hulu, 2023), Under G-d (Sundance 2023), Look at Me! XXXTENTACION (SXSW, Hulu, 2022) and The Neutral Ground (Tribeca, POV, 2021), recipient of LEH Documentary of the Year 2022. Current projects in production include Jason Fitzroy Jeffers’ The First Plantation, A King Like Me, Abe Felix’s Turnaround, CJ Hunt’s Unlearned and Suzannah Herbert’s Natchez.  Her work has been on POV, Reel South, LPB, Cinemax and Hulu, and has screened at Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, CPH:DOX and more.  Darcy is an alum of the Impact Partners Producing Fellowship and the Sundance Institute Creative Producing Fellowship, and a recipient of American Documentary’s Creative Visionary Award in 2023.

Larisa Apan, Programming Director

Larisa Apan is the Director of Programming for Montclair Film + The Clairidge. Originally from Romania, she currently resides in New York where she has been involved in the film industry for over a decade, including positions as a Senior Programmer for Hamptons International Film Festival and Sarasota Film Festival. Prior to that she worked on several award-winning shorts that screened internationally at festivals, including: Tribeca, TIFF, Austin, and SXSW. For several years she worked with Academy Award®-winning documentarian Murray Lerner, helping to manage his production company as well as overseeing the digitization of his archive for the Library of Congress. She has also collaborated with both Hamptons International Film Festival and I.F.P. (now Gotham) to select the screenplays for the HIFF Screenwriters’ Lab and I.F.P.’s Emerging Storytellers Lab.

Narrative Short Jury:

Adesola Thomas, Filmmaker, Festival Programmer, East Coast Producer at Letterboxd

Summer of 2023, Adesola wrote and directed Ola Ola (9 min), a comedy short about a surprise reunion between two queer Nigerian cousins that’s been distributed by indie-streamer, No Budge and screened by Millenium Film, Southern Fried Queer Pride, and Deeper Than Movies in London. Adesola is a 2024 Bleecker Street BIPOC Mentorship Fellow, a 2024 Sundance Press Inclusion Initiative Fellow, and a proud member of the New York Script Supervisors network. She enjoys 1st AD’ing music videos, dancing at parties, and swimming with friends.

Jen Lynch, Director/Writer

Jen Lynch has been writing and directing film and television for more than two decades. Features, Boxing Helena, Surveillance and Chained, garnered attention and awards both in the States ans Europe. Jen has directed television for 15 years and is thrilled by it. From multiple episodes of the Walking Dead to four episodes of MONSTER: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Jen plays with dark notes. In multiple other shows, 911, Jessica Jones, Daredevil, American Horror Story, (seasons 6-12) she has been able to explore comedy and drama, while enjoying the world of stunts and visual effects. Jen authored a novel, The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer, for the series Twin Peaks, and In the documentary DESPITE THE GODS Jen’s struggle to make and ultimately lose a film in India is chronicled. Jen is 56 this April, and considers her daughter, Sydney Lynch, to be her finest production to date.

Documentary Short Jury:

Adam Harris Engelhard, Head of Production, Buffalo 8 | Producer

Adam Harris Engelhard is a film producer & former literary manager with over 10 years of industry experience. Starting his career at ICM Partners, Adam worked in the MP Talent department where he cut his teeth in film packaging. From there he worked for Academy Award winning producer Dan Jinks at CBS Studios. In 2016 Adam founded Mailroom Entertainment where he managed a roster of 15 budding writers and directors. He graduated from The University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce and Business Administration. Currently he serves as the Head of Production for Buffalo 8.

Alexandra Kern, Filmmaker

She has produced commercial and independent acclaimed projects for artists such as Dua Lipa, Lil Nas X, and Kendrick Lamar. Her directorial debut, the short documentary Wild Magnolias, is currently on its festival circuit having screened at Oscar-qualifying festivals. The short was honored by a special screening at the New Orleans Jazz Museum where it was offered a permanent stay in their historical archive. The film premiered online on Short of the Week and is also available on Aeon Magazine.

Matthew Hashiguchi, Documentary Filmmaker and Associate Professor

Matthew Hashiguchi is a documentary filmmaker and Associate Professor in Multimedia & Film Production at Georgia Southern University. His most recent documentary, THE ONLY DOCTOR, had its world premiere at the 2023 Hot Docs Documentary Film Festival and was broadcast nationally on PBS Reel South. His previous documentary feature, GOOD LUCK SOUP, had a national broadcast on PBS World’s America ReFramed, and received a 2016 Documentary Fund Award from the Center for Asian American Media and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. He is a recipient of a 2019 Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund Award, a 2021 American Stories Documentary Fund from Points North Institute and CNN Films, and successfully installed an irrigation system in his backyard.

Animated Short Jury:

Lisa Ferrell, Filmmaker/Educator

Lisa Ferrell is a seasoned production professional whose background encompasses television series and film development and production/post production for television, film and digital content.

Lisa began her career as a Development Assistant in an Atlanta-based studio with a First Look Deal with a major network. She has gone on to has serve as Executive Producer for several of Atlanta’s foremost post production, motion capture and VFX facilities, including the Toronto-based SPIN VFX, and has helped create creative for some of the foremost advertising agencies and brands in the world. Most recently, Lisa worked with animation firm SLOTHIQUE as a Producer for the animated film MINE, which premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival.

She has also worked in series and tele-film development for such companies as CBS, Lifetime Television/Hearst Entertainment, NBC and TBS. While at motion capture studio Giant Studios/Profile, she was involved in the post production of films that include New Line Cinema’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and Sony Imageworks animated holiday feature “Polar Express” directed by Robert Zemekis and starring Tom Hanks. She was also instrumental in creating the pilot episode for the long-running “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” series for TBS.

Lisa is a former President of the Georgia Production Partnership, serves on the Board of Directors for Film Impact Georgia and reimagineATL, is the Director of Education for the Milledgeville Eatonton Film Festival and serves on the Advisory Board of ASIFA South. 

She is currently a Professor of Practice for Georgia State University’s Creative Media Industries Institute focusing on emerging technology.

Tiffany Kowalewicz, Production Manager

I have always loved art and animation and knew I wanted to be apart of that industry. I have worked in Production Management on film and television for the past decade or so. I studied at Savannah College of Art and Design where I received my BFA in Animation. Since then I have worked on multiple animation projects, working at multiples studios over the years including Laika, Blue Sky Studios and 9 Story Media Group. It’s always a wonderful experience to be apart of an animation project especially when you have such a passion for the artistry.

Marcus Rosentrater, Producer

Marcus Rosentrater is a two-time Emmy award nominated producer, director, editor, and animator with two decades of experience working in the film and television industries. For Floyd County Productions he has produced four seasons of “Archer” (FX Networks), two seasons of “Marvel’s Hit-Monkey” (Hulu), along with a number of pilots. 

As an independent filmmaker he has produced and directed a feature film and directed, edited or produced over a dozen short films. Marcus’s versatility as a producer extends from development, to delivery, to launch. He is involved in the early stages of production, working with writers and writers’ rooms to dial in character, story, and make suggestions that will help production. Whether it be on set, in a studio setting, or in the voiceover booth, he has directed performances of the principal cast. 

With experience producing live action and animation, Marcus has overseen projects with a variety of scope from those with multi-year schedules, international teams, crews in the 100s, and budgets in the millions; down to zero budget films based completely off found footage, and just about everything in between. These projects have brought a wide range of post-production experience from delivering to network television, streaming services, VOD, major festivals, and direct distribution online. 

Through all this he is no stranger to navigating the terrain between the ambitions of various directors, show runners, and writers and the realities posed by production, network requirements, talent availability, etc. This hard work has earned Marcus numerous awards, including an Emmy win as the Animation Director of “Archer”, as well as an Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Animated Program” as a producer. 

Georgia Shorts Jury:

Benjamin Wiessner, Producer, Vanishing Angle

Benjamin Wiessner is a producer and VP of Sales & Distribution at Vanishing Angle. He was named to Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Indie Film in 2012 as part of ornana films, where he began producing and distributing shorts and features with partners across the world. He has produced short films in both hand-drawn animation and live action, with awards at festivals including SxSw and Sundance. He has also worked on numerous features with premieres at Sundance, Berlinale, SXSW, Cannes, and Tribeca, including producing and self-distributing THUNDER ROAD (SxSw 2018 Grand Jury Prize). He consults, mentors, and consoles numerous early career filmmakers. Raised by educators, he frequently speaks about filmmaking, distribution, and film marketing at film schools, festivals, and conferences from Cannes to Kazakhstan. In 2018, he co-founded the Short to Feature Filmmaking Lab and in 2020 he helped launch the Vanishing Angle Post Grant for short filmmakers.

Deborah Riley Draper, Writer and Director

Her debut film Versailles ‘73: American Runway Revolution opened New York Fashion Week and Toronto Fashion Week in 2012, then debuted on LOGO TV. Versailles ‘73 is the first intimate look at the infamous Palace of Versailles fundraiser, which gave birth to American Prêt-à-Porter, led by Black models. The film won the HBO Best Documentary at the MVAAFF. Draper also directed the award-winning documentary Twenty Pearls: The Story of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in 2021 and the short documentary OnBoard: The Story of Black Women on Boards, which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Festival.

Vivian Bang, Actor, Writer, Producer, Filmmaker

Vivian Bang is most recently in New Line’s Feature: “THE PARENTING” alongside stellar ensemble cast including: Parker Posey, Brian Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Edie Falco, Brandon Flynn for HBO coming soon. She is the Co-Creator, Producer & Lead of the feature film: “WHITE RABBIT” which premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2018 and distributed by Gravitas. She played Jenny in Netflix’s hit rom-com “ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE” with Ali Wong, Randall Park & Keanu Reeves.  She was a series regular for 3 seasons on Warner Bros/ TBS sit-com:  “SULLIVAN & SON”  as well as played ‘Sun’, a Private Detective opposite Peter Stormare & Keanu Reeves on PopTV & Viaplay series: “SWEDISH DICKS” for 2 Seasons.  Her acting credits include episode of HBO’s “ROOM 104”, Apple TV’s reboot of “Amazing Stories”.  Bang also recurred on ABC’s: “BETTER OFF TED” as well as guested on numerous TV series: “GET SHORTY”, “FAMOUS IN LOVE”, “ATOZ”, “KATH&KIM”, “NUMB3RS,” “MONK”, “BECKER”, “HOUSE” “HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER”, "SEX & THE CITY".  Other earlier works are “YES MAN” with Jim Carrey, “LITTLE BLACK BOOK”,  Hal Hartley's “HENRY FOOL”, and the Oscar nominated short “OUR TIME IS UP.” 

NYU Tisch Graduate, Vivian Bang  was original member of New York’s performance troupe: BIG ART GROUP & performed in renown art institutions and toured internationally with “SHELF-LIFE” & “FLICKER”  including: Festival d’Automne à Paris, P.S. 122 (NY), The Walker Arts Center (Minneapolis), The Wexner Center (Columbus), Pan Pan Theatre Symposium (Dublin), Fresh Terrain/UT (Austin), The Warhol Museum (Pittsburg),Künstlerhaus Mousonturm (Frankfurt), Kaiitheatre (Brussels), Sommerszene (Salzburg). 

Since moving to Atlanta over a year ago, she has started a performance group at the Plaza Theater called Performance Jam that has been used as development incubator for short films and have had performances all over Atlanta.

Georgia Feature Jury:

Chris Poche, Filmmaker

Chris Poché is a screenwriter with a hand in writing over twenty films for Paramount, Dreamworks, Sony, Fox/New Regency, and others, including work on Kung Fu Panda, Charlotte's Web, and Smallfoot. He also recently wrote and directed an indie feature, The True Don Quixote, starring Tim Blake Nelson (Watchmen, Oh Brother Where Art Thou?) and Jacob Batalon (Spiderman: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War), which opened in 2019 and is now available on major streaming services. A reformed architect, he stubbornly lives in New Orleans with his wife and three boys.

Genevieve LeDoux, Creative Producer

Genevieve LeDoux left her position as Vice President of a nationally and internationally known architectural firm fifteen years ago when she was recruited by a former executive of Warner Brothers. Since then she has developed and creative produced children's content overseeing original concepts through completion as well as rebranding, and redeveloping well loved intellectual properties. She was an integral part of the creative development team on some of the most popular and successful children's television series in the world including Hasbro Studios', MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, GI JOE, Wildbrain's YO GABBA GABBA and Mattel's BARBIE and MONSTER HIGH. She was also one of the main development creators on the updated content for Kids II's BABY EINSTEIN pre-school series overseeing the entire three years of development and production. Most recently, she produced and directed a mini-pilot with her husband for the creators of the legendary purple dinosaur Barney.

Genevieve helped create and structure dozens of children's TV series from the ground up and was part of the original creative team and the main producer for Amazon's first preschool series, TUMBLE LEAF. The celebrated series earned numerous awards including BAFTA, ANNECY JURY AWARD, 3 ANNIE awards and 14 EMMY awards. She received the EMMY for Best Children's TV Series.

A founding board member of Georgia Film Impact, Genevieve lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two boys. She continues to work regularly as a creative consultant to guide companies and individuals in developing and producing fun, smart, and quality entertainment for kids and families. Together with her talented partner, VFX supervisor husband, Chris

 LeDoux (Owner of Crafty Apes VFX), numerous animators and concept artists and composers, she is developing over a dozen of her own original series and owns and manages her own production company, Silver Comet Productions.

LJ Simpson, Film/TV Acquisitions Executive

LJ Simpson is an Atlanta native with nearly a decade of film/TV industry experience working in content acquisitions and programming strategy. Having worked at Turner Broadcasting--across the entertainment networks (TBS, TNT, TruTV, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and TCM)--HBO Max, HBO, and Tubi, LJ is highly acquainted with all genres of content and distribution formats.

Cinematography Jury:

Charlie Fisk, Director/Cinematographer

Growing up an isolated queer kid in the Catskill mountains, Charlie found solace in her imagination and began storytelling at a young age. An ex-Army sergeant turned Emmy award-winning filmmaker, she won the Audience Award at the ATLFF and Best Doc at LCFF for her documentary, THE FOUNDERS. She followed that film with four award winning short films LIMERENCE, THE LICK, RIDESHARE and THE MOTH. She directed the Emmy winning web series INTERSECTION and most recently she directed network episodes for Discovery and TLC. Her talents aren't confined to the director's chair, she also co-produced and edited MARGARET MITCHELL American Rebel for PBS, the feature film MAN MADE about trans bodybuilders and the short film HOME FIELD which premiered at Tribeca. As a cinematographer she has lensed shows for Magnolia Network, Discovery, Disney, ESPN as well as several short films and a web series. As a writer, her scripts have been selected for Stowe Story lab, Southern Producers lab, Cinestory lab and garnered recognition from Screen Craft and the Austin Film Festival. Beyond her professional achievements, Charlie remains a steadfast advocate for Atlanta's independent film community, generously supporting local filmmakers and the organizations that foster its vibrant creative environment. She believes deeply in the transformative power of storytelling both in practice and in consumption and sees it as a catalyst for profound change and connection within communities.

Matt Clegg, Cinematographer 

Matt Clegg is a cinematographer from Richmond, VA. His love for visual storytelling has brought him all over the world lensing films, documentaries and commercials. Over the years he has had films premiere at Sundance, Venice, Toronto, and Tribeca film festivals. When not on set he is biking, gardening, or walking in the woods.

Victoria K. Warren, Filmmaker

Victoria is a Filmmaker and Cinematographer based in Atlanta, and working on projects from small independents and documentaries, to blockbusters worldwide. She is an ATLFF alum (V/H/S, Talk Show), and excited to explore & celebrate this year's selects in cinematography.

Headshots and additional details for the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival can be found here.

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL RED CARPET SCREENING OF “THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY”

WHAT: The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference will host a red carpet Marquee presentation of “THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY” on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.  Pulling footage from an archive spanning the first fifty years of hip-hop as well as new interviews with Atlanta icons and genre luminaries (Killer Mike, Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, Lil Yachty, Jermaine Dupri), “THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY” tells the ongoing story of Atlanta’s undeniable impact on hip-hop.

The screening is part of the 11-day film festival and educational conference that kicked off Thursday, April 25 and will continue through Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually. 

WHO: Media are invited to participate in red carpet interviews and photos immediately prior to the screening. 

The Horne Brothers (Directors), Speech, Zaytoven, Jordan Victoria, Pastor Troy, Jason Orr, Dr. Courtney A. Hammonds, and Princess are expected to participate in red carpet photos and/or interviews prior to the screening.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 1, 2024

• Media Check In Opens: 6:00 PM

• Carpet Opens: 6:15 PM 

• Screening Begins: 7:00 PM

WHERE: The Plaza Theatre, 1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

MEDIA RSVP: Please contact ATLFF@ssmandl.com with your interest in covering on-site or in advance.

* * *

ABOUT ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL AND CREATIVE CONFERENCE

The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programming that is provided year-round by its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject). The film festival and 14th annual Creative Conference, which is the festival’s educational programming, will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually. 

This year’s lineup of 142 selected will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world, representing 118 countries with more than 24% of films with ties to Georgia filmmakers. Among the highlights of the festival are Opening and Closing Night Presentations, as well as 9 additional Marquee titles that combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film.

The 14th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns Tuesday April 30 - Friday May 3. The Creative Conference offers educational programming for upcoming filmmakers, festival goers, newcomers and members of the greater community alike to learn from industry experts. There are 32 in-person panels and 12 virtual panels planned during the 11-day festival. 

ABOUT “THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY” 

Pulling footage from an archive spanning the first fifty years of hip-hop as well as new interviews with Atlanta icons and genre luminaries (Killer Mike, Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, Lil Yachty, Jermaine Dupri), THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY tells the ongoing story of Atlanta’s undeniable impact on hip-hop.

Directed by: The Horne Brothers

Screenwriter: Ernie Suggs, DeAsia Paige, The Horne Brothers

Producer: The Horne Brothers, DeAsia Paige, Ernie Suggs

Executive Producer: Leroy Chapman, Andrew Morse

Cast: Killer Mike, Raphael Warnock, Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, Jason Orr

Cinematographer: Tyson Horne, Ryon Horne

Editor: Ryon Horne

Trailer

Schedule and tickets now available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com 

Full lineup can be found HERE. 

To apply for press credentials, click HERE. 

Press materials and assets, including press releases, logos, and film stills, click HERE.

Contact ATLFF@ssmandl.com for additional requests or questions. 

48TH ANNUAL ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL RED CARPET SCREENING OF “POWER”

WHAT: The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually. 

Media are invited to attend the red carpet Marquee screening of “POWER” on Sunday, May 5, 2024. 

About “POWER””: In the United States, police have been granted extraordinary power over our individual lives. The police determine who is suspicious and who ‘fits the description.’ They define the threats and decide how to respond. They demand obedience and carry the constant threat of violence. Thousands of these interactions play out in our cities and towns every day, according to real and perceived ideas of criminality and threats to social order—as decided by the police. Police make the abstract power of the state real.

“POWER” traces the accumulation of money, the consolidation of political power, and the nearly unrestricted bipartisan support that has created the institution of policing as we know it. The film offers a visceral and immersive journey to demonstrate how we’ve arrived at this moment in history, from the slave patrols of the 1700’s and the first publicly funded police departments of the 1800’s to the uprisings of the 1960’s and 2020’s. "POWER" premieres May 17 on Netflix.

Directed by: Yance Ford

Executive Producers: Jon Bardin, Dan Cogan, Liz Garbus, Anya Rous

Producers: Yance Ford, Jess Devaney, Sweta Vohra and Netsanet Negussie 

Starring: Wesley Lowery, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Paul Butler, Julian Go

WHO: 

Director Yance Ford is expected to participate in red carpet interviews prior to the screening. 

About Yance Ford: Ford is an Oscar-nominated director and producer based in New York City. His feature documentary film STRONG ISLAND premiered at Sundance in 2017 to critical acclaim winning a Special Jury Award for storytelling. The film was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature at the 90th Academy Awards, where Ford made history as the first openly transgender director nominated for an Oscar. STRONG ISLAND received the Primetime Emmy for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Film, the Gotham Award for Best Documentary, and the Black Film Critics Circle Award for Best Doc; was nominated for a George Foster Peabody Award; and won for Best Direction, Best Debut, and Best Feature at the Cinema Eye Honors. 

WHEN:

Sunday, May 5, 2024

• Carpet Opens: 6:00PM 

• “POWER” Screening Begins: 6:30PM

• Q&A with Yance Ford: Immediately following the screening 

WHERE:  The Tara Theatre | Jack Auditorium | 2345 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

MEDIA RSVP: 

Please contact ATLFF@ssmandl.com with your interest in covering on-site or in advance.

For information on Opening and Closing Night red carpet screenings, please click here.  

* * *

The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programming that is provided year-round by its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject). The film festival and 14th annual Creative Conference, which is the festival’s educational programming, will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually. 

This year’s lineup of 142 selected will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world, representing 118 countries with more than 24% of films with ties to Georgia filmmakers. Among the highlights of the festival are Opening and Closing Night Presentations, as well as 9 additional Marquee titles that combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film.

The 14th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns Tuesday April 30 - Friday May 3. The Creative Conference offers educational programming for upcoming filmmakers, festival goers, newcomers and members of the greater community alike to learn from industry experts. There are 32 in-person panels and 12 virtual panels planned during the 11-day festival. 

Schedule and tickets now available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com 

Full lineup can be found HERE. 

To apply for press credentials, click HERE. 

Press materials and assets, including press releases, logos, and film stills, click HERE.

Contact ATLFF@ssmandl.com for additional requests or questions. 

48TH ANNUAL ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL OPENING AND CLOSING NIGHT RED CARPET PRESENTATIONS

WHAT: The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually. 

Media are invited to Save The Date(s) to participate in Opening Night and Closing Night red carpet screening events on Friday, April 26, 2024 and Saturday, May 4, 2024 respectively. 

WHO & FILMS: 

Opening Night Presentation of “THE IDEA OF YOU” 

Director Michael Showalter is expected to participate in red carpet interviews and will receive the Atlanta Film Festival’s “The Rebel Award” in an on-stage presentation prior to the start of the film. 

About: Solène, a 40-year-old single mom, begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. 

Directed by: Michael Showalter 

Screenplay by: Michael Showalter and Jennifer Westfeldt, Based Upon the Book by Robinne Lee Produced by: Cathy Schulman p.g.a., Gabrielle Union p.g.a., Anne Hathaway p.g.a., Robinne Lee, Eric Hayes, Michael Showalter, Jordana Mollick 

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo 

Closing Night Presentation of “SING SING” 

Filmmaker Greg Kwedar and cast members Clarence 'Divine Eye' Maclin, John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield, Sean 'Dino' Johnson, and Jon Adrian ‘JJ’ Velazquez are expected to participate in red carpet interviews. 

About: Divine G, imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art. 

Directed by: Greg Kwedar 

Executive Producers: Raúl Domingo, Michael Heimler, Michael Heimler, Larry Kalas Starring: Colman Domingo, Sean Dino Johnson, Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin, Paul Raci 

WHEN: 

Opening Night Presentation of “THE IDEA OF YOU” 

Friday, April 26, 2024 

● Red Carpet Check In Opens: 5:45PM - 6:00PM

● Red Carpet Interviews: 6:00PM - 7:00PM 

● Pre-Screening Presentation of “The Rebel Award” to Michael Showalter: 7:00PM

● Screening Begins: 7:10PM 

● Q&A with Writer/Director/Producer Michael Showalter: Immediately following the screening 

Closing Night Presentation of “SING SING” 

Saturday, May 4, 2024 

● Red Carpet Check In Opens: 5:45PM - 6:00PM 

● Red Carpet Interviews: 6:00PM - 7:00PM 

● Screening Begins: 7:00PM 

● Q&A with filmmaker and cast members: Immediately following the screening 

WHERE:  Both screenings will take place at The Plaza Theatre, 1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306 

MEDIA RSVP: 

Please contact ATLFF@ssmandl.com with your interest in covering on-site or in advance.

* * * 

The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programming that is provided year-round by its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject). The film festival and 14th annual Creative Conference, which is the festival’s educational programming, will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually. 

This year’s lineup of 142 selected will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world, representing 118 countries with more than 24% of films with ties to Georgia filmmakers. Among the highlights of the festival are Opening and Closing Night Presentations, as well as 9 additional Marquee titles that combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film. 

The 14th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns Tuesday April 30 - Friday May 3. The Creative Conference offers educational programming for upcoming filmmakers, festival goers, newcomers and members of the greater community alike to learn from industry experts. There are 32 in-person panels and 12 virtual panels planned during the 11-day festival. 

Schedule and tickets now available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com 

Full lineup can be found HERE. 

To apply for press credentials, click HERE. 

Press materials and assets, including press releases, logos, and film stills, click HERE.

Contact ATLFF@ssmandl.comfor additional requests or questions.

2024 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES CREATIVE CONFERENCE PROGRAMMING FOR 48TH ANNUAL EVENT

The educational workshops, panels, and conversations taking place virtually and in person from April 30 - May 3 will feature industry experts from across the country

ATLANTA, GA (April 11, 2024) — Today, the 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) announced its lineup of Creative Conference panels, workshops, and conversations that will take place from Tuesday, April 30 - Friday, May 3, 2024. This will be the 14th year that ATLFF has curated a robust lineup of educational programming, known as the Creative Conference, as part of the annual film festival. This year, the Creative Conference will offer 32 in-person panels during the 11-day festival and 12 virtual panels post festival.

The Creative Conference serves to educate, entertain, engage, and enlighten festival-goers by pulling back the curtain on film and television production. Festival filmmakers share how their projects got made, and industry professionals discuss their craft and the future of the industry. While offering a wide variety of topics, the conference spotlight is on acting, directing, and producing in Georgia.

“This year’s Creative Conference explores building community, developing homegrown projects, and supporting emerging filmmakers from development to post production.” said Linda Burns, a 30-year industry veteran and Creative Conference Director. “We’re excited to offer interactive events with Art of the Pitch and Crowdfunding to Build Independence from Emily Best at Seed&Spark, Improv: Learning to Pivot while Producing from Dad’s Garage, and the wildly popular and epic literary battle Write Club will wrap up the Creative Conference on Friday afternoon.”

Panels feature revealing conversations with some of the most admired and sought-after artists in their respective fields. Highlights include a discussion on the Art of Casting with Casting Society members Erica A. Hart (We Strangers, A Black Lady Sketch Show, That Damn Michael Che), Kate Geller (Bob Trevino Likes It, Molly and Max, Shiva Baby), and Rori Bergman (Powerbook III: Raising Kanan, Rabbit Hole, Retribution). Additionally, Production Designer Christopher Glass joins Molly Coffee, the Creative Director of Film Impact Georgia, for a 1-on-1 conversation about his career, his process, and how he gets the look that defines his projects including Ms Marvel, Amazing Stories, and The Jungle Book. SAG Actors Nelson Bonilla (Sacrifice, Ozark, Buried in Barstow), Mike Pniewski (Hightown, The Good Fight, Madam Secretary), Sharon Conley (Perimeter, NCIS: New Orleans, Rectify), Christina Kari (Law & Order: Organized Crime, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Queen Sugar), Kurt Yue (Will Trent, Haunted Mansion, General Hospital) and Donielle Hansley (Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead, BMF, Terror Lake Drive) share career advice, how they got their start, and how to build long term relationships in the industry. And panelists Nikka Duarte (Netflix’s The Liberator, Jeb Stuart’s Takeover, George RR Martin’s Night of the Cooters), and Glen Owen (Signing Day) will explore how to develop, pitch, raise funds, and sell original stories produced in Georgia. 

As with the lineup of 142 selected works and Marquee screenings, the 2024 Creative Conference programming will highlight underrepresented filmmakers and stories. Panel topics will explore Animation and African Filmmaking, The Journey of Making ‘Color Book’ - Our First Feature - Sponsored by MPA, The Intersection of AI and Cinema: Innovations, Ethics, and the Future, Documentary Funding with ITVS, Cutting Edge Creativity: Voices from the Black & Queer Community, Mental Health and Parenting While Filmmaking, The Directing Challenge, and Latinas in Media among others.

All Creative Conference content, other than in-person panels, will be available for streaming worldwide during the entire 11 days of the festival. In-person panels will not be offered virtually. Festival badges are on sale now at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com or by clicking here.

The full list of programming for this year’s Creative Conference can be found below. As previously announced, ATLFF’s 2024 lineup of 142 selected works, presented in person or virtually, can be found on the festival’s website here.

Applications for press credentials for ATLFF 2024 are now open and can be submitted here. Press materials and assets, including past press releases, logos, and film stills can be found here.

2024 CREATIVE CONFERENCE LINEUP

IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING AT THE HISTORIC PLAZA THEATER

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

The Rej (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm

Animated, Music Video, and Experimental Filmmaker Roundtable

Festival Filmmakers discuss their approach to these projects - the process, art, challenges, and joys of making these types of films.

Moderator: Director/Writer Hannah Patterson (Late to the Party)

Panelists: Texas Smith (Yes! Yes! A Thousand Times Yes!), Sebastien Abou-Chakra (VAINGLORIOUS), Anna Winter (Islets of Langerhans)

The Mike (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm

Producing Low Budget Features

Indie producers, working in the under $1M budget range, share their struggles and tips for successfully developing, fundraising, producing, and distributing work with limited budgets.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns

Panelists: Luke Williams (Hold the Fort, The Murder Podcast, A Band of Rogues), Leanna Adams (Christmas with Jerks, The Worst Couple), Tim Reis (Adult Swim Yule Log, Hold The Fort, Bad Blood), Michelle Riviera (Blurred Lines), Diego Silva Acevedo (Hunting Souls)

The Lefont (Downstairs) - 12:00pm - 1:30pm

Casting Call

Join Fox 5’s Casting Call host Tess Hammock as she discusses all things casting from extra roles to guest starring, recurring, and series regular speaking parts with casting directors, an agent, and an extras casting company.

Moderator: Tess Hammock - Fox 5

Panelists: Jen Kelley and Rita Harrell - Big Picture Casting, Sam Ikhwan - People Store, and Rose Locke - Rose Locke Casting 

The Rej (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm 

The Future of Indie Film in ATL

Local filmmakers discuss the challenges of making art, paying the bills, and building the financial infrastructure in Georgia to keep indie filmmaking sustainable.

Moderator: Camilo Diaz - Producer/Writer/Director (The Old Lady & The Boxer)

Panelists: Kristina Arjona (Christmas with Jerks, Mi Casa, Max), Glen Owen (Signing Day - State Line Films), Cash Robinson (Uncle Honker, Nobody Wants to Be Here, Nobody Wants to Leave), Molly Coffee (Come Correct, Jenna Gets an Abortion, Fear Haus)

The Mike (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm

Post Production In The Age of AI & Remote - Sponsored by Moonshine Post-Production

Join Moonshine Post as they discuss creative approaches and techniques across the full post pipelines of feature, series and advertising. Emerging technologies and the remote landscape demand that artists and producers embrace innovation, and upskill their collaboration tool kit to maintain the craftsmanship and apprenticeship that propels our industry.

Moderator: Drew Sawyer - MPP, Co-Founder, Moonshine Post-Production

Panelists: Gennifer Allen - Social Media Strategist, Kristina Kromer - Editor, Grant Reynolds - Colorist, Chris Nicholson - Sound Mixer, Caleb Wood - Post Producer

The Lefont (Downstairs) - 3:00pm - 4:30pm

The Art of the Pitch

Founder and CEO of Seed & Spark, Emily Best, shows you how to frame and pitch your story effectively and efficiently to showcase your project in a way that grabs attention.

Moderator: Emily Best - Founder and CEO of Seed&Spark

The Rej (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm

At the Intersection of Race & Sexuality: Bringing Authenticity To Our Work

Exclusively featuring Black and Queer voices, this panel delves into the complexities of maintaining authenticity while working in commercial and industry spaces while navigating independent and personal projects. It explores the unique challenges and strategies for Black and Queer creatives to stay true to themselves in an industry that often demands conformity.

Moderator: Jazelle Foster - Actor, Acting Coach & Media and Marketing, Specialist

Panelists: Ava Davis - Transwoman (The Duchess of Grant Park, What is Art?, Holy Irresistable), Onyx Keesha - Producer (Fatal Attraction, For My Man, The Calling)

The Mike (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm

Short Filmmaker Roundtable (1 of 3)

Festival Filmmakers discuss writing and directing shorts, and how they got their projects made.

Moderator: Jonathan Banks - ATLFS Filmmaker-In-Residence (Young Kings - Best Georgia Short Film at the 2023 ATLFF)

Panelists: Neal Reddy (Barely Breathing), Dominick Cormier (Don't Wipe Your Tears), Thang Ho and Danielle Nebeliuk (The Last Black Dinosaur), Joshua C. Okwuosa (OKEM),  A. Kate Espada (I Could Just Die, and That Would Be All Right)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1ST

The Rej (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm

Film Impact Georgia - Grant Winner Roundtable

Past grant winning short filmmakers discuss the submission process, the support the program provides, and how the grant helped push their project over the top to get made.

Moderator: Melissa Simpson - Education Director, ATLFS and ED, Film Impact Georgia

Panelists: Sabrina Saleha, Erika Miranda, Ciera Thompson, Shandrea Evans, Jeremy Thao, Andrew J. Lee, Hannah Patterson

The Mike (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm

Podcast to Film: How Podcasting is IP Gold for Hollywood

Three screenwriters / producers from the film world discuss their success in the podcasting realm, how they got started, and how they hope to or have converted that success into a big budget deal.

Moderator: Mykal Alder June (Stones Touring Party, Too Much Information, Where Were You In ‘92?, TENDER BLOODSPORT)

Panelists: Jeff Keating (Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, PeeWee Gaskins Was Not My Friend), Dan Bush (Tomorrow’s Monsters, The Mantawauk Caves, The Passage), Nick Tecosky (13 Days of Halloween, 12 Ghosts, The Mantawauk Caves)

The Lefont (Downstairs) - 12:00pm - 1:30pm

Lenders, Investors and Other Financial Animals - Sponsored by Fieldpoint Private

Hang out with a panel of experts to explore the challenging world of film finance. Learn terminology, different ways to fund projects, what is needed for funding, and successful best practices. Panelists also discuss small business loans for anyone looking to purchase gear, vehicles or warehouse space.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns

Panelists: Film Finance Segment - Russell Holland - President & Chief Executive Office (Fieldpoint Private), Charles Andros - Founding Partner, President & Chief Investment Officer, Producer (Bay Point Advisors), Andrew Kotliar - Partner, Producer (MEP Capital), Deborah Moore - Freelance Film Production Executive, Producer

Personal and Small Business Bootcamp Segment - Russell Holland - President & Chief Executive Office (Fieldpoint Private), Neill Kelly - Consumer Lending Manager (Fieldpoint Private), Amanda Price - Chief Risk Manager (Fieldpoint Private), Derek Grayson - Managing Director, Banking Advisor (Fieldpoint Private)

The Rej (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm

Improv: Learning to Pivot while Producing

Producers constantly have to shift their plans and mindset while putting out fires and solving problems. The only sure thing on set is that something will go wrong. Improv is all about turning problems and mistakes into something wonderful if you're willing to roll with whatever is thrown at you. Members of Dad’s Garage teach you how to use improv skills to seamlessly pivot while producing.

Moderator: Jon Carr - Executive Producer, Dad’s Garage

Panelists: Kevin Gillese (How to Ruin The Holidays), Ron Emile - former Dad's Garage Artistic Director (My Spirit Told Me), Megan Dahl (Lily’s Mirror, The Arbalest)

The Mike (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm

Comics to Film: How Graphic Fiction Is Shaping Hollywood

Comics have taken Hollywood by storm. Panelists discuss seeing their work adapted for the screen, making the jump from the comics to the world of film and TV, the differences between the two mediums, and the challenges the writers have faced when writing a film and TV script as opposed to a comic book.

Moderator: Nathan Cabaniss - Writer and Filmmaker

Panelists: Writer Van Jensen (DC Comics + various other publishers; his debut novel Godfall was recently acquired by Ron Howard and Imagine TV); Writer / Director / Actor Paul Jenkins (comics veteran with a near forty-year career working for every major publisher, in addition to shepherding various film, TV, video game and new media initiatives); Writer Robert Venditti (longtime DC Comics writer; his indie comic The Surrogates was adapted into a Bruce Willis movie in 2009)

The Lefont (Downstairs) - 3:00pm - 4:30pm

Crowdfunding to Build Independence

Seed&Spark has the highest crowdfunding campaign success rate of any funding platform in the world. They share 100% of the information you need to build a successful campaign, as well as a career-long action plan most likely to create a lasting, flourishing, direct relationship with your audience. You’ll learn how to find and activate your audience, structure your crowdfunding campaign and pitch video, pick the right goal and incentives, and much more beyond marketing the campaign itself. Because after all, it isn’t just about crowdfunding: it’s about career building. 

Moderator: Emily Best - Founder and CEO of Seed&Spark

The Rej (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm

Short Filmmaker Roundtable (2 of 3)

Festival Filmmakers discuss writing and directing shorts, and how they got their projects made.

Moderator: Seth Adam Wilder

Panelists: Moon Lee Ferguson (Skettel), Paras Chaudhari (the girl with the om tattoo), Jenna D’Angelo (I Didn't Mean To Say I Love You), Carlos Aviles (Rainbow Sun), Brea Angelo (DEFINITELY NOT A MONSTER), Giovanni Tortorici (Buster's Onion)

The Mike (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm

CineCampATL: Meet the 2023 Class of Youth Filmmakers

ATLFS CineCampATL program breaks students into small groups, and with guided instruction and collaboration, they complete a 1-5 minute film. Former students talk about the program and what they learned from the process of creating their film “Squeaky Clean”.

Moderator: Melissa Simpson - Education Director, ATLFS

Panelists: Jaira Wingfield-Green 12th grade at Druid Hills High School, Keatin Monaghan - 11th Grade at North Atlanta High School, Micah J. Gary - 12th Grade at School of the Arts at Central Gwinnett HS, Madison Hatfield - Pre-production Instructor

THURSDAY, MAY 2ND

The Rej (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm

ATLFS Filmmaker-in-Residence Program

Learn about the Atlanta Film Society’s Filmmaker in Residence Program and meet this year’s filmmakers. Learn about the projects they hope to accomplish and how the program hopes to help them succeed.

Moderator: Melissa Simpson - Education Director, ATLFS

Panelists: Crystal Jin Kim and Jonathan Banks

The Mike (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm

Documentary Filmmaker Roundtable (1 of 2) 

Documentary Directors discuss their projects, their process for documenting their stories, and the challenges and joys of shooting documentaries.

Moderator: Jazmine Hudson - Media Industries Scholar, GSU

Panelists: Caroline Josey K (Seven Acres and a Church), Demetrius Lewis (Map to the Sirens), Lev Omelchenko (Olive)

The Lefont (Downstairs) - 12:00pm - 1:30pm

The Directing Challenge

Using the same actors, but different props, wardrobe, and back stories, see how uniquely each director in the challenge can offer you completely dissimilar versions of the same screenplay.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns

Panelists: Directors Janlatae’ Mullins, Lou Simon, and Carrie Schrader, Actresses Rose Bianco and Suehyla El-Attar

Screenwriter: Nick Tecosky

The Rej (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm

Content Creation & Filmmaking: Blurring Lines, Shaping Futures 

Content creators and filmmakers, who either specialize in one field or straddle both, focus on the evolving landscape of content creation, its impact on the traditional film and television industry, and what this shift means for actors, directors, and filmmakers. They address the changing perceptions around content creation and its role in shaping the future of entertainment and storytelling.

Moderator: Jazelle Foster - Actor, Acting Coach & Media and Marketing Specialist

Panelists: Tony Talks - Content Creator, Elisee Junior St Preux - Filmmaker & Community Artist (Sour Peaches, Before We Had Insomnia, Lorikeet), Shayla Racquel - Director / Writer (Keke Palmer's KeyTV Series Heaux & Tell, The Cuzzin M Show, The Off-Brands) Raquel M R Thomas - Creator / Director / Producer /Writer (TRANSworld Atlanta, Below the Rim), Kristina Arjona - Director / Producer (Christmas with Jerks, Mi Casa, Rumspringa)

The Mike (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm

Documentary Filmmaker Roundtable (2 of 2) 

Documentary Directors discuss their projects, their process for documenting their stories, and the challenges and joys of shooting documentaries.

Moderator: Robyn Hicks - Assistant Professor of Film & Digital Media at University of North Georgia

Panelists: Majiye Uchibeke (I Am More Dangerous Dead), Kasey L. Martin (A Synonym for Art: Rodgric J.), Ashley Salman (Prelude of a Story), Conner Hall - Editor (Citizen Sleuth)

The Lefont (Downstairs) - 3:00pm - 4:30pm

Developing Features and TV Shows in Georgia

Panelists explore how to develop, pitch, raise funds and sell original stories that will shoot in Georgia. They'll showcase projects they have in development as well as the features and TV shows they’ve successfully produced.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns

Panelists: Nikka Duarte (Netflix’s The Liberator, Jeb Stuart’s Takeover, George RR Martin’s Night of the Cooters), Glen Owen (Signing Day - State Line Films)

The Rej (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm

Latinas in Media ATL: Keeping the Conversation Moving Forward in Film & TV

Journalists, Actors, and Executives discuss how to expand representation and inclusion in the media, film and television landscape, the importance of cultural storytelling, and how to overcome typecasting.

Moderator: Daniela Cintron - Journalist, Editor, and Producer highlighting underrepresented communities

Panelists: Rose Bianco - Actress (Cobra Kai, Minx, The Sandman), Lina Ramirez Mills - Head of Commercial Department at People Store, Erik Francisco Medina - Moxie Collective, Operations and Marketing Lead, Roger Payano - Actor (Manhunt, Celia, P-Valley), Richard Perez - Director and Screenwriter (It Stays With Us)

The Mike (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm

Key Elements of Impact Campaigns 

This interactive workshop will glean from 25 years of learning and innovation from Working Films, one of the very first organizations created to connect documentaries and social change. The session will cover key elements of impact campaigns.

Moderator: Hannah Hearn - Impact Coordinator and Fellowships Lead, Anna Lee - Director of Learning and Development

FRIDAY, MAY 3RD

The Rej (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm

Meet the ATLFF Programmers

Come meet the ATLFF film and screenplay competition programmers to learn a little about them as fellow humans, what they love about their jobs, common mistakes filmmakers make when submitting, and what they look for when screening films and reading screenplays.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns

Panelists: Jon Kieran, Jennica Carmona, Astin Rocks and Melissa Simpson

The Mike (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm

Writing Character Driven Films

Writers / Directors Lane and Ruckus Skye discuss how they develop and write story through character.

Moderators: Lane and Ruckus Skye (The Devil to Pay, Becky, Rattle the Cage)

The Lefont (Downstairs) - 12:00pm - 1:30pm

Acting for a Living

Actors with over 2 decades of experience with starring, recurring, and special guest credits will discuss where they started, how they developed their craft, and how to build relationships with directors, producers, and casting directors.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns

Panelists: Nelson Bonilla (Sacrifice, Ozark, Buried in Barstow), Mike Pniewski (Hightown, The Good Fight, Madam Secretary), Sharon Conley (Perimeter, NCIS: New Orleans, Rectify), Christina Kari (Law & Order: Organized Crime, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Queen Sugar), Kurt Yue (Will Trent, Haunted Mansion, General Hospital), Donielle Hansley (Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead, BMF, Terror Lake Drive)

The Rej (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm

Film Festival Strategy

Film festival strategy is integral to your success on the festival circuit. From choosing which larger, local, and smaller festivals to apply to, to researching what those festivals have played before, from marketing your screening when not traveling to the festival to how to make boots on the ground matter, this conversation will cover all this and more. 

Moderator: Melissa Simpson - Education Director, ATLFS

The Mike (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm

Curating Classics

There's never been a better time for repertory programming and Atlanta's film audiences are enjoying a wealth of opportunities to enjoy the communal experience of watching films together. Join local experts who are part of the growth of classic programming happening locally to hear about the resurgence and importance of classic and niche programming.

Moderator: Greg Bishop - Creative Manager, The Plaza Theater

Panelists: Rocco Shapiro and Sean Valdivieso - Wax & Wane, Matthew Booth & John Robinson - Videodrome, Richard Martin - Programming Manager, The Plaza Theater

The Lefont (Downstairs) - 3:00pm - 4:30pm

Write Club: Festival Edition

High Octane Brain Boxing at its Finest. WRITE CLUB is the world's greatest combative philanthropic literary bloodsport, featuring only the most audacious and fearsome of writers and performers. Started in 2010 at the Hideout in Chicago by Our Illustrious Overlord Ian Belknap, WRITE CLUB has been operating in Atlanta since 2011. WRITE CLUB is: 3 bouts of 2 opposing writers arguing 2 opposing ideas for 7 minutes apiece. Audience picks a winner. 

Viceroy: Nick Tecosky

The Rej (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm

Narrative Feature and TV Pilot Festival Filmmaker Roundtable

Festival Filmmakers discuss their projects, how they were able to get them made, their experience while making them, and their hopes for the future.

Moderator: Crystal Jin Kim - Filmmaker in Residence, ATLFS

Panelists: Don-Dimitri Joseph (Last Option), Christian Meier (The Murder On Cape Melancholy), Win Marks (Do You Say What You Mean?), Jenna Kanell (Faceless After Dark)

The Mike (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm

Short Filmmaker Roundtable (3 of 3)

Festival Filmmakers discuss writing and directing shorts, and how they got their projects made.

Moderator: Vivi Chavez - Producer and Actress

Panelists: Sam Hahn (Billy & Mac), Melissa Bayer (The G-Spot), Samuel Laine (Free Lunch), Alice Barros (A Forgotten Place), Matthew S. Alaniz (Ten To One)

VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING

Available for viewing May 6th-12th

Animation and African Filmmaking 

Join us for an exceptional conversation with the Annie award-winning filmmakers of Kazazi Moto: Generation Fire, a Disney+ animated shorts anthology. This action-packed sci-fi anthology presents 10 futuristic visions from Africa inspired by the continent's diverse histories and cultures.

Moderator: Sue-Ellen Chitunya, Producer 

Panelists: Tendayi Nyeke - Executive Producer, Ng'endo Mukii - Writer / Director (Enkai), Shofela Coker - Writer / Director (Moremi)

The Art of the Assistant Director

DGA Assistant Directors discuss how they got their start, how they transitioned upward, the demands and joys of the job, what makes a great assistant director, and all the fun that comes with being an AD for film and television.

Moderator: JD Taylor, DGA 1st AD (Candy Cane Lane, American Underdog, Teen Wolf)

Panelists: Matt Rawls - 1st & 2nd AD (Abbott Elementary, Westworld, The Morning Show), Christophe Le Chanu - 2nd AD (Candy Cane Lane, Hawkeye, Coming 2 America), John Bonaccorse - 2nd AD (Flaming Hot, Tulsa King, Stranger Things), Ben White - 2nd AD (Blue Beetle, The Staircase, Red Notice), Jessie Sasser White - 2nd AD (They/Them, Safety, Watchmen), Steve Windle - 2nd 2nd AD (Barbie, Teen Wolf: The Movie, Rise), Nate Patterson - 2nd 2nd AD (The Color Purple, Doom Patrol, Swagger), Nate Galesic - 2nd 2nd AD (Pain Hustlers, Blue Beetle, Ghosted)

The Art of Casting (CSA)

Casting can make or break your production. Join members of the Casting Society to learn about the fascinating Art of Casting and how you can make choices that are the best fit for your next production.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns

Panelists: Erica A. Hart (We Strangers, A Black Lady Sketch Show, That Damn Michael Che), Kate Geller (Bob Trevino Likes It, Molly and Max, Shiva Baby), Rori Bergman (Powerbook III: Raising Kanan, Rabbit Hole, Retribution)

Production Design with Christopher Glass

Molly Coffee interviews Production Designer Christopher Glass about his career, where he got his start, his process, and how he gets the look that defines his movies, TV shows, and commercials.

Moderator: Molly Coffee

Panelist: Christopher Glass (Ms Marvel, Amazing Stories, The Jungle Book)

The Journey of Making ‘Color Book’ - Our First Feature - Sponsored by MPA

The Atlanta Hometown team of writer/director David Fortune and producer Kiah Clingman competed amongst four other finalists to win the highly competitive 2023 AT&T Untold Stories Award worth $1 million dollars and year-round mentorship to produce their feature film. They share their production journey and the story of a devoted father learning to raise his son — who has Down Syndrome — following the passing of the family matriarch. The Atlanta-set picture is like Fortune’s prior films in that it finds power in normalizing the themes of compassion and intimacy set in inner-city communities.

Moderator: Sue-Ellen Chatuyna, Producer

Panelists: Director David Fortune, Producer Kiah Clingman

Exploring the Intersection of AI and Cinema: Innovations, Ethics, and the Future

Join us for a groundbreaking panel discussion that delves into the dynamic intersection of generative AI and the cinematic world. This panel will explore how emerging AI technologies are reshaping filmmaking, from scriptwriting to post-production, and will address the profound ethical questions they raise. We will start with a look at historical milestones of AI in cinema, such as the early days of CGI in films like 'Tron' and 'Jurassic Park,' and progress to current innovations like deepfake technology and real-time CGI generation.

Moderators: Laila Harrison - Experimental Filmmaker and Harim Leon - Producer

Mental Health and Parenting while Filmmaking

Being a parent is hard enough, but being a parent and a filmmaker is a huge challenge. Panelists discuss how they strive for a work life balance, share resources for support, and explore ways to keep their mental health in check as filmmaking parents.

Moderator: Erin Bernhardt - Director of Common Pictures, The Edward E. Haddock Jr. Family Foundation

Panelists: Keoni TeTawa Bowthorpe - Director / DP, Aloha Cinema, Tchaiko Omawale - Tchaiko of House Omawale, Second of Her Name, Mother of Flame, Seeker of Truth, Breaker of Chains, Nomadic Fairy Inc., Amanda Edwards - Mental Health Coordinator and Intimacy Coordinator

Documentary Funding and Production - In Conversation with Royd Chung from ITVS

Do you love documentaries? Have a great idea for one? Join us for an engaging conversation to learn about how documentaries are funded and produced for public media. Royd Chung, Vice President of Production of ITVS, the largest co-producer of independent documentaries in the United States, shares open calls for funding, the types of projects they support, best practices for applying to their programs, and their distribution platforms, as well as the disruptions ITVS has seen in the distribution landscape.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns

Panelists: Royd Chung - Vice President of Production of ITVS

Cutting Edge Creativity: Voices from the Black & Queer Community

This panel showcases the diverse and innovative perspectives of Black and Queer artists across different mediums. It emphasizes the richness and originality within the Black and Queer community, often the unsung inspirations in mainstream culture. Panelists will discuss their unique paths in the industry, the challenges of intersectionality, and their vision for a more inclusive and evolving creative landscape.

Moderator:  Jazelle Foster - Actor, Acting Coach & Media and Marketing, Specialist

Panelists: Raquel M R Thomas - Creator / Director / Producer / Writer (TRANSworld Atlanta, Below the Rim), Tony Talks - Content Creator, Adrianna Cherelle - Screenwriter, Reality TV Producer (10 Years in 40 Seconds, Black Ink Crew), Tery Wilson - DP / Editor (Push, New Gotham)

Southern Film Festival Roundtable

Senior film festival representatives as well as southern funders will converse on nurturing Southern filmmaking talent. They’ll discuss the spectrum of opportunities and challenges in the SE, and speak on fostering creative environments where artists can excel and go to the next level.

Moderator: Jen West

Panelists: Chris Escobar - ED, Atlanta Film Society, Dan Brawley - ED, Cucalorus Film Festival, Jessica Chriesman - Education Director for Sidewalk Film Festival, Kimel Fryer - ED, Indie Memphis Film Festival, Clint Bowie - Artistic Director, New Orleans Film Society, Patricia Ferguson - ED, A Pecan Pickling Short Film Festival, Molly Coffee - Production Designer and Co-Founder / Past Creative Director, Film Impact Georgia, Christopher Everett - Artistic Director, Southern Documentary Fund

Black Women Forging Their Own Paths 

Join a group of emerging and mid-career black women filmmakers for a candid conversation sharing their respective journeys in an industry that often isn't easily welcoming to them. They'll share their experiences of how they have fiercely navigated the industry to champion stories that are dear to them while also maintaining their integrity. 

Moderator: Sue-Ellen Chatuyna, Producer

Panelists: B. Monét - Director, Producer, Writer (Black Girls, Ballet After Dark, Phases of the Moon), Idil Ibrahim - Producer, Director, Writer (The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu, In Her Element, Little America), Jamila Jordan-Theus - Producer (Fantasy Football, Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts, Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street)

How to Start Work as an Extra in Film and Television

Working as an Extra is a great way to start your acting career, learn about how a film set works while getting paid, or to make a little extra money as a retiree. Learn about what makes a great extra, how to find work, what is expected of you, and how to get hired back.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns

Panelists: Patrick Ingram - Extras Casting Atlanta 

2024 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS KEY PROGRAMMING AND FULL LINEUP OF OFFICIAL SELECTIONS FOR 48TH ANNUAL EVENT, INCLUDING 27 WORLD PREMIERES

ATLANTA, GA (March 22, 2024) — Today, The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) revealed key programming highlights, including the full lineup of selected works from more than 7,500 submissions.  The film festival and 14th annual Creative Conference, which is the festival’s educational programming, will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually. 

While 118 countries are represented in the selections, more than 24% of films have ties to Georgia filmmakers.  The 142 total announced creative works from submissions will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world. Eleven Marquee screenings will combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film.

“We're so excited to be bringing another edition full of artful, challenging, and flat-out fun films to Atlanta this spring. When we make selections for ATLFF, we always follow our sense of discovery, of seeing what movies will be in the years to come. And we think anyone visiting the festival this year will come away knowing what we know, that cinema has a really rich future ahead of it.”
Jonathan Kieran, Programming Director, ATLFF 

Kicking off a robust slate of Marquee programming that will be presented throughout the 11-day festival, the Opening Night presentation of director Michael Showalter’s “The Idea of You” will take place at the Plaza Theatre on Friday, April 26. Anne Hathaway stars as Solène, a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. 

The Closing Night presentation of director Greg Kwedar’s “SING SING,” will take place at the Plaza Theatre on Saturday, May 4. The film follows Divine G (Colman Domingo), imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, as he finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.

Some highlights of the Marquee programming from celebrated filmmakers and Hollywood studios announced today include narrative features “Brief History of A Family,” about a middle-class family whose fate becomes intertwined with their only son's enigmatic new friend in post one-child policy China; “I SAW THE TV GLOW,” about a teenager who’s just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show, a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own; and documentary “Luther: Never Too Much,” that chronicles the life of an iconic musical performer, from childhood musical talent to worldwide fame. 

Since its founding, diversity in programming has been a cornerstone of ATLFF’s mission, demonstrated by their lineup of 29 feature-length films, 90 short films, and 22 creative media selections. Of these selections, 49% are directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary, and 59% are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). 

Five specialty tracks will return to the 2024 festival including: New Mavericks, celebrating excellence in film from female and gender non-conforming directors and leads; ¡CineMás!, focusing on Latin American culture; Noire, uplifting Black filmmakers; Pink Peach, featuring films with LGBTQ stories and characters; and Georgia Films, highlighting productions with ties to the state of Georgia. 

The 14th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns Tuesday April 30 - Friday May 3. The Creative Conference offers educational programming for upcoming filmmakers, festival goers, newcomers and members of the greater community alike to learn from industry experts. There are approximately 32 in-person panels and 8 virtual panels, for a total of 40 unique educational offerings, planned during the 11-day festival. The Creative Conference lineup announcement is forthcoming.

This year, ATLFF will once again offer a mix of in-person and virtual screenings. Screenings will be held at the Plaza Theatre (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE) and The Tara Theatre (2345 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324). All films (outside of Marquee) will be available virtually following the in-person events; the virtual screenings and events will be presented via Eventive. 

The full schedule of films and events is available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com and through the ATLFF 2024 app. Festival passes and badges are on sale now on the site for purchase here. 

The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programming that is provided year-round by its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject). 

Applications for press credentials for ATLFF 2024 are now open and can be submitted here. Press materials and assets, including past press releases, logos, and film stills can be found here.

OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION 

The Idea of You
directed by Michael Showalter
United States // 2024 // English // 115 min
Solène, a 40-year-old single mom, begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION

SING SING
directed by Greg Kwedar
United States // 2023 // English // 105 min
Divine G, imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

MARQUEE SCREENINGS

Brief History of A Family
directed by Jianjie Lin
China, Denmark // 2024 // Chinese // 99 min
A middle-class family's fate becomes intertwined with their only son's enigmatic new friend in post one-child policy China, putting unspoken secrets, unmet expectations, and untended emotions under the microscope
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

Evil Does Not Exist
directed by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
Japan // 2023 // Japanese // 106 min
Takumi and his daughter Hana live in Mizubiki Village, close to Tokyo. One day, the village inhabitants become aware of a plan to build a camping site near Takumi's house offering city residents a comfortable "escape" to nature.#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

I SAW THE TV GLOW
directed by Jane Schoenbrun
United States // 2024 // English // 100 min
Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show - a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen's view of reality begins to crack.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

Last Summer
directed by Catherine Breillat
France, Norway // 2023 // French // 106 min
Follows Anne, a brilliant lawyer who lives with her husband Pierre and their daughters. Anne gradually engages in a passionate relationship with Theo, Pierre's son from a previous marriage, putting her career and family life in danger.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

Red Rooms
directed by Pascal Plante
Canada // 2023 // French // 110 min
The high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed. When reality blurs with her morbid fantasies, she goes down a dark path to seek the final piece of the puzzle: the missing video of a murdered 13-year-old girl, to whom Kelly-Anne bears a disturbing resemblance.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

SING SING
directed by Greg Kwedar
United States // 2023 // English // 105 min
Divine G, imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

The Idea of You
directed by Michael Showalter
United States // 2024 // English // 115 min
Solène, a 40-year-old single mom, begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

Thelma
directed by Josh Margolin
United States // 2024 // English // 97 min
When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

Luther: Never Too Much
directed by Dawn Porter
United Kingdom, United States // 2024 // English // 101 min
Chronicles the life of an iconic musical performer, from childhood musical talent to worldwide fame. Explores his collaborations, influences, character and relationships with family, friends and fans.
#Marquee #DocumentaryFeature

Power
directed by Yance Ford
United States // 2024 // English // 85 min
Driven to contain threats to social order, American policing has exploded in scope and scale over hundreds of years. Now, it can be described by one word: power.
#Marquee #DocumentaryFeature

Seeking Mavis Beacon
directed by Jazmin Jones
United States // 2024 // English // 102 min
Investigates the disappearance and reexamines the legacy of one of the most influential Black women in technology.
#Marquee #DocumentaryFeature

NARRATIVE FEATURES

A Song for Imogene
directed by Erika Arlee
United States // 2023 // English // 104 min
Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Cheyenne, a once free-spirited songwriter, flees in the night from her possessive boyfriend, Alex. Back in her rural hometown, Cheyenne faces her bitter mother and reunites with her vagabond sister, Janelle: now a single mother to a five-year-old son. The two rekindle their sisterhood and Cheyenne's forgotten dreams. Meanwhile, Alex discovers evidence of the hidden pregnancy and decides to chase Cheyenne down, challenging her to break a generational cycle of abuse. Immersive in its realism, A SONG FOR IMOGENE is a story of grit set against the grueling landscape of the American South that explores issues of abuse, trauma, and the female bid for independence.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature

 A Strange Path
directed by Guto Parente
Brazil // 2023 // Portugal // 83 min
A young filmmaker returns to his hometown and attempts to reconnect with his eccentric father as the pandemic rapidly accelerates across Brazil. Resuming their distant father-son relationship proves to be more complicated, however, as bizarre phenomena begin to fray the edges of their reality.
#¡CineMás!, #NarrativeFeature

African Giants
directed by Omar S. Kamara
United States  // 2024 // English // 106 min
Over a weekend visit in Los Angeles, two first-generation Sierra Leonean American brothers navigate the changing dynamics of brotherhood after a surprise announcement.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeFeature

 Asog
directed by Seán Devlin 叶 世民
Canada, Philippines // 2024 // Tagalog, Waray // 101 min
ASOG is a screwball tragicomedy starring a cast of real life Super Typhoon survivors. Jaya is a non-binary teacher whose career as a comedian hosting a late-night television show ended due to a climate disaster that devastated the Philippines. Picking up the pieces in their life, Jaya decides to travel across the country in hopes of winning a beauty pageant and the prize money that comes with it. But before they can leave, a chance encounter with Arnel, a student going the same way in search of family, complicates their solitary plans. As they travel seemingly countless miles together on foot, bike, and boat, the unlikely duo find themselves forever changed by each other and those they encounter on their journey.
#PinkPeach, #CinematographyCompetition, #NarrativeFeature

Atikamekw Suns
directed by Chloé Leriche
Canada // 2023 // Atikamekw, French // 102 min
On June 26, 1977, a vehicle drives into a river outside the Atikamekw community of Manawan in northern Québec. Two Whites survive the accident, but five Atikamekw lose their lives. The police conclude it was an accident, but for the victims' families, many questions remain unanswered. A historical and poetic story, a hybrid between documentary and fiction — SOLEILS ATIKAMEKW (ATIKAMEKW SUNS) is freely inspired by the dreams, impressions, and memories of the victims’ loved ones.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #CinematographyCompetition, #NarrativeFeature

Boca Chica
directed by Gabriella A. Moses
Dominican Republic // 2023 // Spanish, English // 97 min
As a young girl growing up in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, 12-year-old Desi is powerfully drawn to song and music by a famed ancestor with a musical legacy. Her handsome brother Fran lives in New York pursuing his music, too, while struggling to make ends meet. The long-awaited return of their cousin Elvis and his marriage festivities animate the family and community. But Elvis’ sinister machinations reveal that his business interests involve trafficking children. Threatened by the very people who should care for her most, Desi finds her voice among a group of underground rap artists. BOCA CHICA weaves richly drawn stories into a coming-of-age story of hope and discovery.
#¡CineMás!, #Noire, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature

Do You Say What You Mean?
directed by Win Marks
United States  // 2024 // English // 87 min
Aliyah, confident and easy going, quickly falls for a truck driver, Sean. Their relationship plays out in snapshots as they try to build a life together, but the more they try, the more they unravel.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaFeatureCompetition, #NarrativeFeature

Dragoons
directed by Reinis Ubelis
Latvia // 2024 // Latvian // 77 min
Father-to-be Pavel and his pregnant girlfriend Sabine spend their days living like nomads and breaking into houses in search of food and resources. Upon finding themselves lost in a mysterious forest, they seek refuge in a crumbling gothic manor inhabited by two aging siblings, the Dragoons. Soon they find that escape is impossible and Sabine's delivery is approaching. Haunted by the guilt of leading his girlfriend into a nightmare scenario and falling under the sway of the weird Dragoons, Pavel soon begins to question his own ability to separate reality from dreams.
#InCompetition, #CinematographyCompetition, #NarrativeFeature

Faceless After Dark
directed by Raymond Wood
United States  // 2024 // English // 82 min
Following her breakout success as the star of a killer clown horror flick, Bowie now finds herself struggling to capitalize on her newfound semi-fame. But when she is held hostage by an unhinged fan posing as that same killer clown, horror becomes her reality as she fights to survive the night and escape before he completes his sinister plan to recreate the film’s fatal plot. Jenna Kanell from the TERRIFIER franchise gives a tour-de-force performance in this wild, gory ride.
#Georgia Film, #GeorgiaFeatureCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeFeature

Melk
directed by Stefanie Kolk
Netherlands // 2023 // Dutch // 96 min
Days after giving birth to a stillborn baby, Robin’s breasts start to produce milk. Unable to bring herself to throw it away, Robin makes the unusual decision to donate her milk. As her quest for a place to donate becomes more difficult than anticipated, more and more milk starts to crowd her freezer, relationship, and life.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature

Mountains
directed by Monica Sorelle
United States // 2023 // Haitian Creole, English, Spanish // 95 min
Xavier, a Haitian demolition worker, is outgrowing the Little Haiti home he shares with his wife Esperance – a seamstress and school crossing guard – and their son Junior, a young adult pursuing a standup comedy career. MOUNTAINS is a multigenerational drama that explores the relationships between immigrants and their children, Miami’s own stratification of race and nationality, and the looming threat of gentrification.
#Noire, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature

Poor Clare
directed by Blaine Redden
United States // 2024 // English // 119 min
Just before dawn, a strange man appears at Clare's door. The young filmmaker begins to see this man wherever she goes. She struggles to connect to those around her, to tell them what haunts her, until she meets a mysterious stranger who is intent on showing Clare what she's most afraid to see. Drawing from the rich and shadowy legacy of underground, cult, and trash film, POOR CLARE is a vivid and dreamlike vision etched in camcorder tape.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeFeature

The Battle
directed by Vera Egito
Brazil // 2024 // Portuguese // 84 min
Constructed of just 21 separate shots, THE BATTLE brings you inside the Philosophy School building of São Paulo University on a decisive day in October 1968, that came to be known as the Battle of the Students. As they attempt to carry out a crucial University-wide election, students and Professors of the Left Student Movement face pressure from within and physical threats from the reactionary forces outside their door.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #¡CineMás!, #NewMavericks, #CinematographyCompetition, #NarrativeFeature

The Trap
directed by Lena Headey
United Kingdom // 2023/4 // English // 84 min
Michelle is a broken woman, shut off to the world. Then Joe, a damaged young man, arrives at Michelle’s fortress of solitude and brings her back to life. However, their tender romance is shattered when Joe reveals that he is the son Michelle gave up more than twenty years earlier. After a brutal reckoning, Joe and Michelle set off together in search of Joe’s father. Along the way, they slowly rebuild their relationship, discovering the power of unconditional love and, ultimately, redemption.
#NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature

We Strangers
directed by Anu Valia
United States  // 2024 // English // 80 min
When Rayelle Martin, a Black woman scraping by in Gary, Indiana, scores a job housekeeping for a pair of upper-crust families across town, it seems like a step up from her usual thankless commercial cleaning gigs. However, the slights and secrets that are dealt out in these houses of privilege serve as a constant reminder of her outsider status. Things take a turn when Rayelle shares an impulsive, seemingly harmless lie: that yes, she can speak to the dead. This lie begins to spin out of control, and Ray's attempt to gain ownership over her own identity goes in directions she could have never predicted.
#In Competition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Amakki
directed by Célia Boussebaa
United States, Netherlands // 2024 // Sidamuu Afoo, Sidama // 104 min
AMAKKI, meaning "your mother", is an intimate journey through Sidama's coffee-growing hills in Ethiopia. It explores the interconnected lives of a grandmother, a mother, a young girl, and a baby girl, celebrating the profound moments of love, loss, and resilience that shape the tapestry of motherhood and womanhood.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #CinematographyCompetition, #DocumentaryFeature

Baghdad on Fire
directed by Karrar Al-Azzawi
Norway, Iraq // 2023 // Arabic // 60 min
BAGHDAD ON FIRE is an energetic account from inside the demonstrations  of the new Iraqi youth. Together with friends Khader and Yousif, 19 year old Tiba has started a medical team that helps the brave young protesters. They spend days and nights in tents in Tahrir Square in the center of Baghdad, where they discuss and plan how to bring freedom, democracy and change to Iraq.
#DocumentaryFeature

Caterpillar
directed by Liza Mandelup
United States  // 2023 // English // 111 min
Endlessly struggling to feel seen, David becomes infatuated with a mysterious company’s promise to transform people’s lives by permanently changing the color of their eyes. After traveling to India to get the controversial procedure, he begins to question if this artificial beauty will give him the fulfillment he truly seeks.
#PinkPeach, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryFeature

Citizen Sleuth
directed by Chris Kasick
United States  // 2024 // English // 82 min
CITIZEN SLEUTH follows Emily Nestor and her Mile Marker 181 podcast, as she conducts an amateur murder investigation into the death of Jaleayah Davis.  With a growing audience of millions, Emily's podcast becomes a hit, but as she probes deeper into the case, she’s confronted with a new truth she struggles to tell her listeners.
#DocumentaryFeature

Family Tree
directed by Jennifer MacArthur
United States  // 2024 // English // 97 min
FAMILY TREE explores sustainable forestry in North Carolina through the stories of two Black families fighting to preserve their land and legacy. Despite setbacks, they work to create sustainable land to pass on to the next generation. The forest itself and the beauty of its changing seasons become a primary character in this family drama.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryFeature

Go Like Hell
directed by Scott Edwards
United States  // 2024 // English  // 104 min
In an industry dominated by billionaires, a team of renegade engineers bands together to bootstrap a rocket company amidst the sprawling Texas cattle fields. With funding rapidly dwindling and a relentless race against the giants of "big space," this scrappy startup, led by an eccentric and determined CEO, must defy the odds and race to reach orbit before their finances collapse.
#InCompetition, #DocumentaryFeature

Happy Campers
directed by Amy Nicholson
United States // 2023 // English // 78 min
Every summer, working-class families enjoy waterfront living in a scrappy trailer park off the coast of Virginia. When the relentless march of capitalism threatens their shabby Shangri-La, the denizens of Inlet View face the inevitable, and reveal the secrets to a rich life.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryFeature

Naked Ambition
directed by Dennis Scholl and Kareem Tabsch
United States  // 2023 // English // 73 min
Bunny Yeager, once heralded as the world's prettiest photographer, had a huge influence in 20th-century pop culture. As a model and photographer, she was a  trailblazer whose work helped pave the way for both  the feminist movement and sexual revolution. Featuring Dita Von Teese, Bruce Weber, and Larry King, NAKED AMBITION is a rediscovery of a brilliant and forgotten artist.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #¡CineMás!,  #DocumentaryFeature

Pianoman
directed by Sunny Liu
United States // 2024 // English // 52 min
David Avenando, an undocumented immigrant in NYC, finally achieves his dream of opening a piano factory in Yonkers, but runs into unforeseen circumstances that threaten to take away his livelihood and potentially separate him from his family. This moving film will resonate deeply with those intrigued by civil rights, social justice, and  immigration.
#InCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #NewMavericks,  #DocumentaryFeature

Rape Play
directed by Gabriella Mykal
United States // 2023 // English // 82 min
RAPE PLAY is an experimental documentary that explores fanfiction writing amongst teenage girls online and the learned narrativization of sexual experiences. Through interviews, lyrical essays, and fantastical reenactment, it touches on internet history, sexual assault discourse, and the magical cultural production happening in the bedrooms of teenage girls worldwide every day.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NewMavericks, #Noire,  #DocumentaryFeature

Richland
directed by Irene Lusztig
United States // 2023 // English // 93 min
Richland, Washington is proud of its heritage as a nuclear company town and proud of the atomic bomb it helped create. RICHLAND offers a prismatic, placemaking portrait of a community staking its identity and future on its nuclear origin story, presenting a timely examination of the habits of thought that normalize the extraordinary violence of the past.
#NewMavericks,  #DocumentaryFeature

Taxibol
directed by Tommaso Santambrogio
Italy // 2023 // Spanish, English // 50 min
Driving around the streets of Cuba, Lav Diaz – the famous Filipino director – and Gustavo Flecha - a talkative Cuban taxi driver – find themselves discussing  politics, social conditions, and love.  Through their dialogue and the subsequent narrative construction, the audience is invited to reflect on the harmful actions of significant  historical figures and examine their impact on human lives.
#¡CineMás!,  #DocumentaryFeature

Thank You Very Much
directed by Alex Braverman
United States  // 2023 // English // 99 min
Throughout his short life, Andy Kaufman's work dissolved the boundaries between fiction and reality, and his commitment to performance on-stage and off rendered any distinctions between his characters and his real life useless. From Executive Producers Josh and Bennie Safdie, THANK YOU VERY MUCH is the definitive documentary look at how a shy, oddball kid from Long Island became the most polarizing performance artist of the 20th century.
#DocumentaryFeature

The Body Politic
directed by Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough
United States  // 2023 // English  // 91 min
THE BODY POLITIC is a harbinger of hope in a country plagued by gun violence. In Baltimore, Brandon Scott, an idealistic young leader with a holistic plan to stop chronic violence in his city,is elected mayor. Throughout his first year in office, we follow Brandon as he fights powerful political forces to save lives in Baltimore and reveal a pathway toward healing for the nation.
#Noire  #DocumentaryFeature

The South Got Something to Say
directed by The Horne Brothers
United States // 2023 // English // 96 min
Pulling footage from an archive spanning the first fifty years of hip-hop as well as new interviews with Atlanta icons and genre luminaries (Killer Mike, Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, Lil Yachty, Jermaine Dupri), THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY tells the ongoing story of Atlanta’s undeniable impact on hip-hop.
#GeorgiaFilm,  #DocumentaryFeature

NARRATIVE SHORTS

8 Minutes 20 Seconds
directed by Harris Doran
United States  // 2024 // English // 9 min
Max must race against time to reconcile with his ex-boyfriend for them to be together in Earth's last moments of sun.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

A Bird Called Memory
directed by Leonardo Martinelli
Brazil, United Kingdom // 2023 // Portuguese // 15 min
A bird called Memory has forgotten how to come back home. Lua, a trans woman, searches for Memory in the streets, but the city can be a hostile place.
#¡CineMás!, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

A Forgotten Place
directed by Alice Leigh Barrós
United States  // 2024 // English // 14 min
A reclusive stripper returns to her conservative home to answer a question that tortures her: whether she was abducted by an alien or if there's a darker truth to her past.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort

A Short Film About Kids
directed by Ibrahim Handal
Palestine // 2023 // Arabic // 10 min
Four kids from the refugee camp in Bethlehem decide to visit the sea for the first time in their lives.
#InCompetition, #NarrativeShort

As You Are
directed by Daisy Friedman
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
An interabled queer couple spend the night together for the first time.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

Baby Gay
directed by Arielle Frances Bagood
United States  // 2024 // English, Mandarin, Shanghainese // 9 min
Desperate to prove her bisexuality, Stevie Lee bluffs her way into a lesbian threesome thinking she’ll “figure it out” when she gets there.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

Barely Breathing
directed by Derek Evans
United States  // 2023 // English // 20 min
An awkward accident forces Sai to move back in with his father, forcing them to bridge the gap left by the death of Sai's mother years prior.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NarrativeShort

Becoming
directed by Tramaine Raphael Gray
United States  // 2023 // English // 25 min
An imaginative queer teen weaves in and out of his own fantasy world while struggling to connect with his older brother.
#Noire, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

Billy & Mac
directed by Sam Hahn
United States // 2024 // English // 8 min
A closeted high school football player discovers the dead body of his crush.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

Black Silk
directed by Patrick Michael
United States // 2023 // English // 16 min
A timid black boy is thrust into turmoil when a violent revelation from his estranged father sets him on a harrowing path of self-discovery.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Blue Boy
directed by Tyler Riggs
United States  // 2023 // English // 19 min
Insecure New Jersey bodybuilder Joey Rossi, aka Joey Muscles, starts doing steroids in a last-ditch effort to go pro.
#NarrativeShort

Buster's Onion
directed by Giovanni Tortorici
United States // 2024 // English // 10 min
As an aging grandfather's mysterious surgery draws near, he and his wife contend with what their 50 years of marriage have come to.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NarrativeShort

Chickenshit
directed by Ellie Rogers
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 8 min
At the height of summer, two rowdy boys spend the afternoon tearing through the countryside discovering nature, electricity, and themselves.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

Claude
directed by Finola Hughes
United States // 2024 // English // 15 min
Her childhood stuffed bunny, Claude, watches his owner navigate her turbulent love life as an adult trans-woman.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Definitely Not a Monster
directed by Brea Cola Angelo
United States  // 2024 // English // 19 min
After a beloved icon dies after being accused of rape, his devoted widow invites a journalist into their home to clear his name.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Don't Wipe Your Tears
directed by Dominick Cormier
United States  // 2024 // English // 16 min
A young couple is triggered by each of their childhood traumas after a playful moment turns upside down.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Everything Goes Dark
directed by Alex Casimir
United States  // 2023 // English // 15 min
A Black high school student prepares to take her senior yearbook photo when horrors lurking within come to the surface.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Free Lunch
directed by Samuel Laine
United States  // 2024 // English // 4 min
A first grader is forced to perform manual labor after failing to cover his two-dollar lunch debt.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Goodnight, Moon
directed by Michael Patten
United States  // 2023 // English // 18 min
After hijacking his father’s ashes, Steve Gailule makes a suburban pilgrimage to his childhood home.
#InCompetition, #NarrativeShort

Ham
directed by Fiona Hampton
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 12 min
On a walk through the woods in the depths of rural England, childhood friends Cathy and Jules find a baby.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks

Happy Thanksgiving
directed by ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby
United States  // 2023 // English // 8 min
An Indigenous man takes a Happy Thanksgiving wish very very personally.
#InCompetition, #NarrativeShort

Heaven is Nobody's
directed by Hector Prats
United States, Spain // 2024 // English // 12 min
A boy journeys through a nightmarish city to find a cure for his mom, as a dancing curse descends on him and his home.
#InCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort

I Could Just Die, and That Would Be All Right
directed by A.K. Espada
United States  // 2023 // English // 19 min
A suicidal woman lures a monster into the woods to kill her only to wake up the next day as an undead vampire.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort

I Didn't Mean To Say I Love You
directed by Jenna D'Angelo
United States  // 2023 // English // 7 min
Abby has a full-on meldown after accidentally saying "I love you" at the end of a voicemail to an ex.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

It Stays with us
directed by Rich Perez
United States  // 2023 // English, Spanish  // 14 min
A young Latino teen struggles with his lingering grief years after a devastating loss.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

It's All Happening
directed by Sammy Grand
United States  // 2024 // English // 14 min
Through a series of phone calls, Hazel and Rowan discuss Rowan's upcoming move to New York where they will finally live together despite their rapidly deteriorating friendship.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Jedo's Dead
directed by Sara Nimeh
United States  // 2024 // English, Lebanese // 11 min
A young Middle Eastern girl confronts loss when she finds her dead grandfather. Alone and confused, she works through the stages of grief.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Jellyfish and Lobster
directed by Yasmin afifi
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 20 min
Two elderly and terminally ill patients in a care home find magic in the mysterious swimming pool in the basement.
#NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Kayla Baby
directed by Clark Comstock
United States  // 2024 // English // 16 min
When a girl and her sister are forced to relocate to an abandoned housing development, they befriend a teenage boy and an old man.
#InCompetition, #NarrativeShort

Klette
directed by Michael Abay
Belgium // 2022 // Dutch, French // 17 min
A day’s journey of an unaccomplished 26-year-old woman in Brussels after a one-night stand.
#Noire, #NarrativeShort

Konpa
directed by Al'Ikens Plancher
United States // 2023 // Haitian Creole, English // 9 min
A young Haitian-American learns how to dance Konpa to impress his crush.
#Noire, #NarrativeShort

Lava
directed by Carmen Jiménez  
Spain // 2023 // Spanish // 18 min
Berta is very happy to spend time with her cousin but doesn't realize he has other intentions.
#NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Living Reality
directed by Philip Thompson
United States // 2024 // English // 16 min
An exploration of the emotional divide between fiction and reality in the American sitcom.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort

Mr. Bold
directed by Aiman Mimiko
United States , Nigeria // 2023 // Yoruba // 13 min
A young boy attempts to earn the respect of his older brother by desecrating a Mosque in a small Nigerian town.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Okem
directed by Joshua Okwuosa
United States  // 2023 // Igbo, English  // 15 min
Okem, a Nigerian immigrant, is faced with his worst nightmare when he receives a call from home informing him his mother has been kidnapped.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NarrativeShort

One Happy Customer
directed by WATTS
United States  // 2024 //  // 6 min
An aged sex worker dispatches her clientele quickly with a special trick, until an unexpected client arrives with a special trick of his own.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Rainbow Sun
directed by Malik Ali
United States // 2023 // English, Spanish // 15 min
A father and son must decide if the secrets they have kept from each other will break the family or if love will allow them to push past it.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Shut Up & Fish
directed by Raul Sanchez & Pasqual Gutierrez
United States  // 2023 // English // 14 min
When friend group of Chicano teens go fishing for the first time, Aiden, the newest to the group, finds he must challenge the status quo.
#InCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort

Skettel
directed by Moon Lee Ferguson
United States  // 2024 // English // 14 min
A single mom of a special needs child struggles to keep her head above water as she tackles the day as a bottle girl with a quarter tank of gas.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Ten to One
directed by Jonathon Pawlowski
United States  // 2023 // English // 6 min
Daniel and his personal care assistant prepare for a first date, but when things go bad, Daniel calls on a friend to calm him down.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Terminally Ill
directed by Christopher J. Cole
United States  // 2024 // English  // 8 min
When a rapper is summoned to his grandmother’s deathbed, he engages in a madcap freestyle in an attempt to prevent her from dying.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

The G-Spot
directed by MELISSA BAYER
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
A woman's newest sex toy possesses unforeseen mystical power.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

the girl with the om tattoo
directed by Paras Chaudhari, Marquelle Young
United States  // 2024 // English // 25 min
When the livelihood of her yoga studio is threatened by a thriving yoga influencer industry, Nalini's struggle for self-worth sends her into a destructive downward spiral.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

The Last Black Dinosaur
directed by Danielle Nebeliuk
United States  // 2024 // English // 14 min
A cop slips into a musical alternate reality and sees the past, present, and future of the black man he kills.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

The Museum
directed by Annette Elliot
United States  // 2024 // English // 15 min
After years of rejection, a Black artist confronts a past he has been unable to forget.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

The Year of Staring At Noses
directed by Karen Knox, Matt Eastman
Canada // 2024 // English // 22 min
A woman undergoes plastic surgery in an attempt to become a contestant on a beloved reality television show.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Wokman
directed by Jeremy Thao
United States  // 2023 // Mandarin, English // 16 min
An American-born Chinese boy gains a perspective on his parents' American Dream after starting to work at the family restaurant.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NarrativeShort

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

A Home on Every Floor
directed by Signe Rosenlund-Hauglid
Norway // 2023 // Norwegian  // 11 min
A young Eritrean poet from Oslo uses her voice to excavate the lost home of her childhood.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

A Synonym For Art: Rodgric J.
directed by Kasey L. Martin
United States  // 2023 // English // 3 min
A Black man shares his personal journey of self-expression through tattoos.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

About a Bowshot Away
directed by Sangsun Choi
United States  // 2024 // English, Korean // 14 min
With a little help from her parents, a young Korean-American girl pursues her dreams of becoming an Olympic archer.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #DocumentaryShort

American Seams
directed by Carly Jakins
United States  // 2024 // English, Navajo // 17 min
The stories of three quilters reveal an intimate portrait of rural women in the American West.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryShort

And Still the Seed
directed by Llaima Suwani Sanfiorenzo
Puerto Rico  // 2023 // Spanish, English, Latin // 14 min
This short film tells a captivating story about the importance of reforestation, with Puerto Rico's native and endemic trees as the protagonists.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryShort

Cycles
directed by Pisie Hochheim; Tony Oswald
United States  // 2024 // English // 14 min
A single mom from rural Kentucky travels to San Diego to sell her eggs in order to support her family.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryShort

Elephant
directed by Wes Sterrs
United States // 2023 // English  // 15 min
“Elephant” spins a yarn of quiet observation against the backdrop of Maine’s emerging Spring as the tightly-wound circle of life unfurls.
#InCompetition, #DocumentaryShort

Friendly Signs
directed by Rahsaan Thomas
United States // 2022 // English, ASL // 22 min
An incarcerated man seeks to start a sign language class inside a state prison.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

Goodbye, Morganza
directed by Devon Blackwell
United States // 2024 // English // 15 min
Years after a family's displacement, the youngest daughter is left to pick up the pieces—all of them fitting within 2 storage units.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

I Am More Dangerous Dead
directed by Majiye Uchibeke
United States, Nigeria, UK // 2022 // English // 24 min
Poetic tribute to Nigerian writer and  environmental activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was executed for his beliefs.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

Makayla's Voice: A Letter to the World
directed by Julio Palacio
United States  // 2024 // English // 23 min
A teenage girl with a rare form of autism finds her voice after 14 years of being silent.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryShort

Map to the Sirens
directed by Demetrius Antonio Lewis
United States // 2024 // English // 15 min
An exploration of the landscapes and history of the American South through the eyes of rideshare drivers
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

My Queerceañera
directed by Marcos Nieves
United States // 2023 // Spanish // 17 min
Upon turning fifty years old, Karyna, a transgender immigrant, is determined to fulfill her lifelong dream of celebrating her Quinceañera.
#InCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #PinkPeach, #DocumentaryShort

Olive
directed by Lev Omelchenko
United States  // 2023 // English // 12 min
“Olive” follows an energetic woman on her daily routine of salvaging and redistributing food and “waste” across Atlanta, GA.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition

Pirsas
directed by Angélica M. Torres Tamayo
Colombia // 2023 // Spanish // 20 min
16 years after a tragedy that took her brothers life, the director returns with her mother to the site of the event, looking for answers.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryShort

Prelude of a Story
directed by Ashley Salman
Chile // 2023 // Spanish, English // 17 min
Following her mothers passing, a young Chilean woman searches through archival footage to try and  understand who her mother really was. 
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryShort

Seven Acres and a Church
directed by Caroline Josey Karoki
United States  // 2023 // English // 7 min
A passionate community matriarch fights to preserve her church, heritage, and community's history in Savannah, GA.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

The Alchemy of David
directed by Nicholas Woytuk
United States  // 2023 // English // 15 min
An artist-photographer reflects on the state of his medium and wonders if the digital age has taken the magic out of making art.
#InCompetition, #DocumentaryShort

The Waiting
directed by Volker Schlecht
Germany // 2023 // English // 15 min
Mysterious deaths occur all over the planet and have a similar pattern. Why have so many species vanished?
#InCompetition, #DocumentaryShort

We Exist in Memory
directed by Darian Woehr
United States, Brazil // 2024 // Spanish, Warao // 13 min
How do you rebuild “home” from nothing but memories? Through intergenerational conversations, we witness the complexity of raising a new generation in displacement.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryShort

ANIMATED SHORTS

27
directed by Flóra Anna Buda
France, Hungary // 2023 // Hungarian // 11 min
Alice is 27 years old today. She still lives with her parents and tends to live in her dreams to escape her dreary everyday life.
#NewMavericks, #AnimatedShort

A Paw Over Dark
directed by Dorian Saisse, Marisa Molson
United States // 2023 // English // 11 min
A washed-up actor descends into madness after a dog steals his spotlight.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

ATM
directed by Chih-Ching Tseng
Taiwan, United States // 2022 // English // 3 min
A story about a money machine, a poor man, and cat food.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Discoteque
directed by Masashi Yamamoto
United States  // 2023 // English // 5 min
I feel your beat, you feel my rhythm, till the end.
#PinkPeach, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Don't Forget to Take Medicines on Time
directed by Xiaoxuan Han
China // 2023 // Chinese // 2 min
Have the mushrooms not disappeared yet？
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Lil Sherbet
directed by Xinhe Zhao
China, United States // 2023 // Chinese // 3 min
My body is mine, but not all mine.
#NewMavericks, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Mira
directed by Eva Louise Hall
United States  // 2023 // English // 11 min
An accordionist busker gets more than she bargained for when her desire to be noticed attracts the attention of a dangerous competitor.
#NewMavericks, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Provisions
directed by Kheyal Roy-Meighoo
United States  // 2023 // English // 4 min
A young American woman asks her grandmother how to make traditional Trinidadian provision soup while discussing home, family, and diaspora.
#GeorgiaFilm, #InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #AnimatedShort

The Lost Courier
directed by Ma Zidong
China // 2023 // Chinese, English // 3 min
It may have gone through some incredible things before the courier reached us.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

The Nectar Instead
directed by Yoo Lee
United States  // 2023 // English // 4 min
A young fly gets trapped in a fly trap in a stop-motion studio, only to have an existential realization about its entire life.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

The Sun is Bad
directed by Rachel Mow
United States // 2023 // Cantonese // 3 min
In 80s Hong Kong, a temperamental girl tries to destroy the sun and stop it from melting her city using toys.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Vainglorious
directed by Gabriel Ugbodaga
United States, Nigeria // 2023 // English // 8 min
A skilled young boxer and a determined father clash in a traditional Nigerian boxing match.
#Noire, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Worry World
directed by Jessica Patterson
Ireland // 2023 // English // 9 min
What price would you pay for the connection?
#NewMavericks, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS

(ಥ﹏ಥ) ✧_MY PARENTS ARE CIA PSY0PS_!!!* ಠ_ಠ
directed by Haydon Mayer
United States // 2023 // English // 10 min
On a sleepy summer night in 2004, my parents are fighting but I wish they would shut up because I'm trying to fix my new blog.
#ExperimentalShort

Burnt Milk
directed by Joseph Douglas Elmhirst
United States, Jamaica // 2023 // English, Patois // 9 min
When an isolated Jamaican midwife takes a moment of solace by following a ritual, she's taken home.
#Noire, #ExperimentalShort

Chamber of Shadows
directed by OK Seyoung
South Korea // 2023 //  // 11 min
Eadweard Muybridge’s photographs of animals, people, and landscapes begin to move in a transparent acrylic frame.
#ExperimentalShort

Decomp Disco
directed by Russell Sheaffer & Aaron Michael Smith
United States  // 2024 // English // 5 min
"Taking place entirely on “Cybill’s Disco Jet
#PinkPeach, #ExperimentalShort

Devouring Stones Up Close
directed by Cat Rider, Zap Mcconnell
United States // 2024 // English // 9 min
A dance film that serves as an expression of feminine rage and channels the spirits of those whose land we walk, create, and dance on.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach, #ExperimentalShort

Islets of Langerhans
directed by Anna Winter
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
Islets of Langerhans is an experimental documentary about chronic illness and mother/daughter relationships
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #ExperimentalShort

Photosynthesis
directed by Brian Zahm
United States // 2023 //  // 7 min
Seeds. Light. Water. Life.
#ExperimentalShort

The Expectation of the Observed
directed by Stephanie J Williams
United States  // 2022 //  // 5 min
This stop motion about labor features disembodied meaty legs, flayed of skin, dancing in repetition even as they start to disintegrate.
#Noire, #ExperimentalShort

They Got Me Goin' In On My Day Off.
directed by Luis Figueroa Caunedo
United States // 2024 // English // 5 min
A lo-fi, dry-humored glimpse of a Manhattan bus driver who gets called in to work on his day off.
#¡CineMás!, #ExperimentalShort

Wonderful
directed by Daniel Martinico
United States  // 2024 //  // 4 min
Into the flickering abyss.  Tiny fragments sourced from Frank Capra’s IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE are folded into a stroboscopic incantation.
#ExperimentalShort

MUSIC VIDEO

Ara - Torn
directed by Sinan Taner
Switzerland // 2023 // English // 4 min
TORN portrays the structure and fragility of a relationship by depicting inner states. A story about the rupture of patterns.
#MusicVideo

billy woods and Kenny Segal - Soft Landing
directed by Henry Nelson, Tim Blake Nelson
United States  // 2023 // English // 3 min
Birds fly high you know how I feel, sun in the sky you now how I feel, breeze drifting on you know how I feel, birds fly high you know how I feel.
#¡CineMás!, #MusicVideo

E - Glitter Electron
directed by Chihiro Sato, Takaaki Numa, E
Japan // 2022 //  // 6 min
This film is a glitter storm of pleasant and strange visual images and electronic sounds on the theme of electricity, which is the driving force of modern civilization.
#NewMavericks, #MusicVideo

Home is Where - Yes! Yes! A Thousand Times Yes!
directed by Texas Smith
United States  // 2023 // English // 6 min
A woman time travels back in time to her mother’s past, present, and future on September 10th, 2001.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #MusicVideo

Mad Fox - Cinerama
directed by Matt Fulks
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
Louisville rapper Mad Fox recreates 30 of film's most iconic moments  
#MusicVideo

Nicole Blakk - Run
directed by SYCHELLE-KRISTINA YANDA
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 3 min
Everybody's running from something, right?
#NewMavericks, #MusicVideo

Pattie Gonia, Quinn Christopherson, and Yo-Yo Ma - Won't Give Up
directed by Abdul Kassamali
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
Climate justice and environmental justice are inextricably linked - how we treat this planet is how we treat each other.
#Noire, #MusicVideo

Pronto - Light Light
directed by Maximilian Speidel
Switzerland // 2022 // Swiss German, English // 6 min
A young adult clears out his mother's apartment, unlocking his quest to preserve her unconditional love through cherished memories.
#MusicVideo

Quinn Bentley - Stripes
directed by Sarah Menasce
United States // 2024 // English // 3 min
STRIPES is about a young woman’s intrusive thoughts, slowly taking on a concrete & sinister form.
#NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #MusicVideo

Sadmadbad - Everything is Fine
directed by Naomi Plasterer
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
From birth to death a painful life full of trials and tribulations. Everything is not fine. Will their next life be better?
#NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #MusicVideo

Tammy Lakkis - Get Up
directed by Oksana Mirzoyan
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
A live performance by electronic music composer Tammy Lakkis of her song "Get Up."
#NewMavericks, #MusicVideo

Tim Aminov - Ultraviolence
directed by Andrei Maica
Kazakhstan // 2022 // Russian, Kazakh // 3 min
How does the crowd feel? Where does this collective unconscious come from, ready to kill and indulge in the idea of violence?
#MusicVideo

Zulu - From Tha Gods To Earth
directed by Malakai
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
Black Culture is not a monolith. FROM THA GODS TO EARTH explores the metamorphosis of Black Ancestry through hardcore punk.
#Noire, #MusicVideo

EPISODIC

Do It To Me If You Want
directed by Elise Kibler, James Udom
United States // 2023 // English // 19 min
Alexandra runs into her ex's identical twin Kent at a Halloween frat party.
#NewMavericks, #Noire, #Episodic

Last Option
directed by Don-Dimitri Joseph
United States // 2024 // English // 11 min
Daniel, a gifted psychic with the ability to see into the future, decides to use his powers to commit burglaries.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #Episodic 

Lucy & Sara
directed by Susan Park
United States // 2024 // English  // 7 min
Two unlikely sisters learn to lean on each other after the death of their beloved father despite their seemingly toxic relationship.
#NewMavericks, #Episodic

Roboto
directed by Keone & Mari Madrid
United States // 2023 // English // 18 min
A choreographer hits rock bottom when a dancing artificial intelligence puts him out of work and becomes everyone's favorite dance partner.
#NewMavericks, #Episodic

The Comic Shop
directed by Robert Butler III
United States // 2023 // English // 13 min
A former engineering major opens up her own Comic Book store in the heart of Los Angeles with her quirky friends.
#Noire, #NewMavericks, #Episodic

The Murder on Cape Melancholy
directed by Christian ‘Blaque’ Meier
United States // 2024 // English // 26 min
After being accused of a brutal murder, Todd Bishop plunges into chaos uncovering twisted town secrets on his quest for vindication.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #Episodic

VIRTUAL REALITY

Comfortless
directed by Gina Kim
United States, Korea // 2023 // English, Korean // 16 min
Filmed on-site, COMFORTLESS immerses in American Town, a brothel exclusive to the U.S. Air Force Base in Kunsan, South Korea.
#NewMavericks, #VirtualReality

Even You Leave: A Neighborhood Sketchbook
directed by Geoffrey Beatty
United States  // 2023 // English // 4 min
A hand-drawn, animated, 360° film documenting a historic neighborhood in Philadelphia.
#VirtualReality

Minitourism
directed by Jan Grabowski
Poland // 2023 // Polish // 8 min
A trip around the world that turns out to be a metaphorical journey set in a miniature park.
#VirtualReality

Cover photo by Gregory Bishop.

THE 2024 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL & CREATIVE CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES FIRST WAVE OF FILMS

ATLANTA, GA (March 1, 2024) – The Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS) is pleased to announce the first wave of films programmed for the upcoming 48th Annual Atlanta Film Festival & Creative Conference (ATLFF), slated for April 25 through May 5, 2024. Each year, this first wave announcement acts as the earliest glimpse at the upcoming festival and represents the exciting programming choices to come. 

This first wave, selected from the 7,500+ film & screenplay submissions, consists of three documentary features and three narrative features. 

“The 6 features in this group each exemplify the bold visions and sense of discovery that we want to bring to ATLFF's audiences. We think they serve as an ideal early taste of the full slate to come.” 
Jonathan Kieran, Programming Director, ATLFF 

For 2024, ATLFF received over 7,500 submitted works from 118 countries. The total programmed films include 59% film by BIPOC directors, 49% by women and non-binary directors, and 24% from Georgia-tied filmmakers. These first selections of films will be joined by over 140 others selected from submitted works when the entire lineup is released in late March.

AFRICAN GIANTS
Documentary Feature
Directed by Omar S. Kamara
United States, English, 106 minutes
Two first-generation Sierra Leonean American brothers navigate the changing dynamics of brotherhood after a surprise announcement.

NAKED AMBITION
Documentary Feature
Directed by Dennis Scholl and Kareem Tabsch
United States, English, 73 minutes
Bunny Yeager, the unseen force behind the bikini, Playboy's allure, and the invention of the selfie comes to life in 'Naked Ambition".

WE STRANGERS
Narrative Feature
Directed by Anu Valia
United States, English, 80minutes
Rayelle Martin, a commercial cleaning woman in Gary, Indiana, stumbles into a new job cleaning the homes of several rich, suburban families. While working, she tells one small lie that spins out of control.

THE BODY POLITIC
Documentary Feature
Directed by Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough
United States, English, 91 minutes
In Baltimore, a young reform-minded politician is elected mayor, promising to stop chronic violence and end racist policing.

DRAGOONS
Narrative Feature
Directed by Reinis Ubelis
Latvia, Latvian, 77 minutes
After getting lost and finding refuge in a crumbling gothic manor, two wandering petty thieves, Pavel and Sabine, struggle to escape before Sabine goes into labor.

PIANOMAN
Documentary Feature
Directed by Sunny Liu
United States, English, 52 minutes
An undocumented immigrant achieves his dream opening a piano restoration factory but unforeseen threats jeopardize his family and livelihood.

2023 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS KEY PROGRAMMING AND FULL LINEUP OF OFFICIAL SELECTIONS FOR 47TH ANNUAL EVENT, INCLUDING 39 WORLD PREMIERES

ATLANTA, GA (March 27, 2023) — The 47th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) today revealed key programming highlights, including the opening night presentation and the full lineup of selected works from nearly 10,000 submissions. Highlighted by the Opening Night presentation of “Polite Society”, 17 Marquee screenings will combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film. The 155 total announced creative works from submissions will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world. The film festival and educational conference will take place Thursday, April 20 through Sunday, April 30, 2023 at multiple venues in Atlanta and virtually. 

 “We are thrilled to return for our 47th annual festival with both an in-person and virtual format, allowing our films and content to be more accessible than ever,” said Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Festival. “This year’s lineup is once again full of unique programming from a variety of diverse voices from the local Atlanta community and around the world. We can’t wait to welcome audiences back this April.”

Kicking off a robust slate of Marquee programming that will be presented throughout the 10-day festival, the Opening Night presentation of Focus Features’ “Polite Society” will take place at the Plaza Theatre on Friday, April 21. Starring Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya, the film follows a martial artist-in-training who enlists her friends to help save her older sister from her impending marriage in the name of independence and sisterhood.

Some highlights of the Marquee programming from celebrated filmmakers and Hollywood studios announced today include narrative features “This World Is Not My Own,” a documentary film that traces the lifespan of artist Nellie Mae Rowe through motion capture technology to replicate human expressions and movement performed by Uzo Aduba, “It's Only Life After All,” a documentary that follows the lives and careers of one of the most iconic folk-rock bands in America, the Indigo Girls, and “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster,” starring Laya DeLeon Hayes and Chad Coleman, is poignant story of grief and hope, in which a teenage anti-hero goes on a desperate quest to cure death.

Since its founding, diversity in programming has been a cornerstone of ATLFF’s mission, demonstrated by the final lineup of 40 feature-length films, 84 short films, and 27 creative media selections. Of these selections, 49% are directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary, and 47% are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Five specialty tracks will return to the 2023 festival including: New Mavericks, celebrating excellence in film from female and gender non-conforming directors and leads; ¡CineMás!, focusing on Latin American culture; Noire, uplifting Black filmmakers, Pink Peach, featuring films with LGBTQ stories and characters, and Georgia Films, highlighting productions with ties to the state of Georgia. 

For five years in a row, the festival received a record-breaking number of creative works and screenplay submissions. Works from more than 204 countries were submitted to the festival, and 30 countries are represented among the final lineup of chosen selections. Over 20% of this year’s selections have ties to the state of Georgia. 

The 13th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns with in-person panel discussions, as well as virtual panels and one-on-one, in-depth virtual conversations with industry experts from Georgia to New York and Los Angeles. The entire Creative Conference lineup will be announced in the coming weeks. This year’s programming will focus on community, craft and the future of filmmaking. Additional topics will include screenwriting, directing, producing, development and pitching, using AI, and much more. 

ATLFF 2023 will be more accessible than ever, offering a mix of in-person and virtual screenings. Screenings will be held at the Plaza Theatre (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE), Dad’s Garage (569 Ezzard St SE), The Carter Center (453 Freedom Parkway), and The Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University (80 Forsyth St NW). All virtual screenings and events will be presented via Eventive. 

The full schedule of films and events is available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com and through the ATLFF 2023 app. Festival passes are on sale now on the site. Tickets for individual events will be available at the beginning of April. In-person screening tickets range from $12-15; virtual access is $9.99 per film/panel with an unlimited virtual all-access pass for $85 for both films and Creative Conference.

The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programming that is provided year-round by its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject). 

 Applications for press credentials for ATLFF 2023 are now open and can be submitted here. Press materials and assets, including past press releases, logos, and film stills can be found here.

2023 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL LINEUP

OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION 

Polite Society
directed by Nida Manzoor
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 103 min
Ria Khan believes that she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting her friends' help, she attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists, in the name of independence and sisterhood.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION

*TBA

MARQUEE SCREENINGS

Divinity
directed by Eddie Alcazar
United States // 2023 // English // 88 min
Executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and starring Stephen Dorff, DIVINITY is set in an otherworldly human existence, where the creation of a ground-breaking immortality serum named “Divinity” is wreaking havoc. Jaxxon Pierce, the creator’s son (Dorff), now controls and manufactures his father’s once-benevolent dream, and society on the barren planet has been entirely perverted by the supremacy of the drug. When two mysterious brothers arrive with a plan to abduct Pierce with the help of a seductive woman named Nikita, they will all be set hurtling toward true immortality.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Final Cut
directed by Michel Hazanavicius
France // 2022 // French // 111 min
Final Cut follows a director (Duris) making a live, single-take, low-budget zombie movie in which the cast and crew, one by one, actually turn into zombies. More blood-soaked high farce than horror, the film revels in its affectionate embrace of goofy genre fun. Academy Award-winning director Michael Hazanavicius (THE ARTIST) pulls off the improbable, a French-language remake of Shin’ichirô Ueda’s cult hit One Cut of the Dead that milks the film’s hilarious and meta-to-the-max premise for all it’s worth, while also crafting a sly love letter to the art of filmmaking.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Little Brother
directed by Sheridan O'Donnell
United States  // 2023 // English // 94 min
Jake and his brother Pete pile into a busted-up van, headed from Albuquerque to Seattle. Pete has just attempted suicide for the umpteenth time and his concerned parents have recruited Jake to drive Pete home for a family intervention. The brothers are at once uneasy friends and sworn rivals; they're not just oil and water, they're fire and gasoline. And now they've got 1,400 miles to go and nowhere to hide.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Master Gardener
directed by Paul Schrader
United States // 2022 // English // 107 min
Narvel Roth is the meticulous horticulturist of Gracewood Gardens, a beautiful estate owned by wealthy dowager Mrs. Haverhill. When she orders Roth to take on her troubled great-niece Maya as his apprentice, his life is thrown into chaos and dark secrets from his past emerge. A new film by master writer & director Paul Schrader (FIRST REFORMED, TAXI DRIVER).
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Medusa Deluxe
directed by Thomas Hardiman
United Kingdom // 2022 // English // 101 min
MEDUSA DELUXE is a murder mystery set in a competitive hairdressing competition. Extravagance and excess collide, as the death of one of their own sows seeds of division in a community whose passion for hair verges on obsession.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Party Girl
directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer
United States // 1995 // English // 94 min
Plazadrome is a monthly film screening partnership between the Plaza Theatre and Videodrome, Atlanta’s last video store, where Videodrome employees bring store favorites and cinematic curiosities to the big screen. This month’s selection is the Atlanta premiere screening of a brand-new restoration of PARTY GIRL, director Daisey von Scherler Mayer’s 1995 Manhattan cult comedy starring the sublime Parker Posey. Co-hosted by Fun City Editions, who commissioned and oversaw the restoration, this event will feature a Q&A with Fun City founder Jonathan Hertzberg and Millie De Chirico, local film programmer, writer, historian, and host of the weekly film podcast I Saw What You Did.  
#Narrative Feature

Passages
directed by Ira Sachs
France // 2023 // English, French // 91 min
In contemporary Paris, German filmmaker Tomas (Franz Rogowski, A HIDDEN LIFE, I WAS AT HOME, BUT...) embraces his sexuality through a torrid love affair with a young woman named Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos, MANDIBLES, BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR), an impulse that blurs the lines which define his relationship with his husband, Martin (Ben Whishaw, THE LOBSTER, WOMEN TALKING). When Martin begins an extramarital affair of his own, he successfully gains back his husband’s attention while simultaneously unearthing Tomas’ jealousy. Grappling with contradicting emotions, Tomas must either embrace the confines of his marriage or come to terms with the relationship having run its course. A new film by indie mainstay Ira Sachs (LITTLE MEN, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON)
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Polite Society
directed by Nida Manzoor
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 103 min
Ria Khan believes that she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting her friends' help, she attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists, in the name of independence and sisterhood.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Sanctuary
directed by Zachary Wigon
United States // 2022 // English // 96 min
Confined to a claustrophobic hotel room, the heir to a hotel empire (Christopher Abbott, POSSESSOR, GIRLS) and the dominatrix who has primed him for success (Margaret Qualley, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD) become locked in a battle of wits and wills as he tries to end his relationship with her.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Scarlet
directed by Pietro Marcello
France, Italy, Germany, Russia // 2022 // French // 100 min
Pietro Marcello, one of contemporary cinema’s most versatile talents, follows his dramatic breakthrough Martin Eden with an enchanting period fable based on a beloved 1923 novel by Russian writer Alexander Grin. Beginning as the tale of a sensitive brute (Räphael Terry) who returns home from World War I to his rural French village to discover his wife has died and that he must take care of their baby daughter, Juliette, the film blossoms into a pastoral portrait of Juliette as a young woman (Juliette Jouan) reckoning with a local witch’s prophecy for her future and falling for the modern man (Louis Garrel) who literally drops from the sky. In his first film made in France, Marcello proves again he is as comfortable in the realm of folklore as he is in creative nonfiction, delicately interweaving realist drama, ethereal romance, and musical flights of fancy.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Showing Up
directed by Kelly Reichardt
United States // 2022 // English // 108 min
A sculptor preparing to open a new show must balance her creative life with the daily dramas of family and friends, in Kelly Reichardt's vibrant and captivatingly funny portrait of art and craft. Stars Academy Award nominee Hong Chau (THE WHALE, THE MENU), André "André 3000" Benjamin of Outkast, and five-time Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams.

#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

The Cow Who Sang a Song Into The Future
directed by Francisca Alegria
Chile // 2022 // Spanish // 98 min
A choir of creatures introduces a world delicately constructed by fantasy, mystery, and magical realism in Francisca Alegría’s poignant and stunning debut feature. It begins in a river in the south of Chile where fish are dying due to pollution from a nearby factory. Amid their floating bodies, long-deceased Magdalena (Mia Maestro, Frida, The Motorcycle Diaries) bubbles up to the surface gasping for air, bringing with her old wounds and a wave of family secrets. This shocking return sends her widowed husband into turmoil and prompts their daughter Cecilia to return home to the family’s dairy farm with her own children. Magdalena’s presence reverberates among her family, instigating fits of laughter and despair in equal measure with all but Cecilia’s eldest child, who finds much-needed comfort in their grandmother’s love and unconditional understanding during a time of transition. A lyrical rumination on family, nature, renewal, and resurrection, The Cow Who Sang A Song Into The Future is an ambitious proposal for acceptance and healing, suggesting that the dead return when they are most needed.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Being Mary Tyler Moore
directed by James Adolphus
United States // 2023 // English // 119 min
With unprecedented access to Mary Tyler Moore’s vast archive, Being Mary Tyler Moore chronicles the screen icon whose storied career spanned sixty years. Weaving Moore’s personal narrative with the beats of her professional accomplishments, the film highlights her groundbreaking roles and the indelible impact she had on generations of women who came after her.
#Documentary Feature, #Marquee

Judy Blume Forever
directed by Davina Pardo, Leah Wolchok
United States // 2023 // English // 97 min
Judy Blume and the generations of readers who have sparked to her work. It will examine her impact on pop culture and the occasional controversies over her frankness about puberty and sex.
#Marquee, #Documentary Feature

Kokomo City
directed by D. Smith
United States // 2023 // English  // 73 min
A raw depiction of the lives of four black trans sex workers as they confront the dichotomy between the black community and themselves.
#Documentary Feature, #Marquee

My Last Nerve
directed by Adam LaBrie
USA // 2023 // English  // 90 min
Fueled by his fathers torturous disease, a son stakes his scientific career on a new cure that could change how we treat pain.
#Documentary Feature, #Marquee

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
directed by Davis Guggenheim
United States // 2023 // English // 95 min
Incorporating  documentary, archival and scripted elements, STILL recounts Michael J. Fox’s extraordinary story in his own words — the improbable tale of an undersized kid from a Canadian army base who rose to the heights of stardom in 1980s Hollywood. The account of Fox’s public life, full of nostalgic thrills and cinematic gloss, unspools alongside his never-before-seen private journey, including the years that followed his diagnosis, at 29, with Parkinson’s disease. Intimate and honest, and produced with unprecedented access to Fox and his family, STILL chronicles Fox’s personal and professional triumphs and travails, and explores what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease.
#Documentary Feature, #Marquee

NARRATIVE FEATURES

Everybody Wants To Be Loved
directed by Katharina Woll
Germany // 2022 // German // 80 min
On a blistering summer day, psychotherapist Ina notices something is wrong. But she doesn't have time to worry about it: Patients are waiting at the practice, her daughter is threatening to move in with her father, her boyfriend wants to emigrate to Finland, and her self-centered mother is celebrating her 70th birthday. Ina tries to please everyone, until suddenly everything changes.
#Narrative Feature, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Hello Dankness
directed by Soda Jerk
Australia // 2022 // English // 70 min
Comprised entirely of hundreds of film samples, HELLO DANKNESS bears witness to the psychotropic spectacle of American politics from 2016 to 2021, and the mythologies and lore that took root around it. Taking form as a suburban stoner musical, the film follows a neighborhood through these years as consensus reality disintegrates into conspiracy and other contagions. 
#In Competition, #Narrative Feature

Hundreds of Beavers
directed by Mike Cheslik
United States  // 2023 // English // 108 min
In this 19th century, slapstick winter epic, a drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America's greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers.
#Narrative Feature, #Cinematography Competition

Jasmine is a Star
directed by Jo Rochelle
United States // 2023 // English // 58 min
Jasmine, a determined 16-year-old with albinism makes it her mission to become a professional model in her hometown of Minneapolis, while attempting to go unnoticed in every other aspect of her teenage life. Against the backdrop of fall in the Twin Cities, Jasmine explores what independence - and more importantly, what self-acceptance - looks like for someone like her.
#Noire, #Family Friendly, #Narrative Feature, #New Mavericks

Miss Viborg
directed by Marianne Blicher
Denmark // 2022 // Danish // 99 min
Former beauty queen and senior citizen Solvej lives alone with her dog in a social housing area on the outskirts of a Danish provincial town. Every day, she performs the same routine of rolling around on her scooter, dealing her prescription drugs, and dreaming of a world outside Viborg. When her neighbor’s rebellious 17-year-old daughter crashes into Solvej's life, an unlikely friendship forms. 
#In Competition, #Narrative Feature, #New Mavericks

Our Father, the Devil
directed by Ellie Foumbi
United States, Cameroon // 2022 // French // 108 min
Marie is an African refugee working as the head chef at a retirement home in small-town France. Her quiet existence is upended by the arrival of Father Patrick. a charismatic priest with whom she’s convinced she shares a heavy past in her homeland. Marie must now confirm his identity and decide if settling an old score is worth sacrificing the new life she’s built. 
#Narrative Feature, #New Mavericks

Quantum Cowboys
directed by Geoff Marslett
United States  // 2022 // English // 99 min
Mixing live action film, paper cut outs, hand drawn animation, oil paintings, 8k video, collages and digital animation, and featuring live musical performances by Neko Case, John Doe, Howe Gelb and Xixa, Quantum Cowboys is an old fashioned western about a trio of hapless drifters in search of an elusive frontier musician. There’s gun fights, horses, cacti and time travel, too!
#In Competition, #GA Features Competition, #Georgia Film

Red Earth
directed by Georg Koszulinski
United States // 2023 // English // 64 min
Explore the landscape of the late Anthropocene age, where large parts of Earth have become inhospitable to life. The story follows three generations of Martians, from the first colonists to the first expedition to return to an Earth decimated by interplanetary war.
#Narrative Feature, #Cinematography Competition

She Watches Blindly
directed by Bryan Tan
United States  // 2023 // English // 86 min
Beth Abrams believes she has a unique ability: she can know the thoughts of others. Only it is not a gift, it is an illness, and it is destroying her life and relationships. After a night of nightmares, a mysterious doctor arrives to investigate the circumstances and help Beth piece together what remains of her life, but doing so may cost her everything. 
#Narrative Feature, #GA Features Competition, #Georgia Film

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster
directed by Bomani J. Story
United States // 2023 // English // 91 min
Death surrounds everything in Vicaria's world. All around her are the fatal outcomes of chronic gang violence, drugs, and police brutality. After watching her mother and brother succumb, Vicaria decides to put an end to all this death...by curing it. Drawing deeply from Black cinema of the 90s , THE ANGRY BLCK GIRL AND HER MONSTER wraps systemic terrors up inside thrilling scares and suspense.
#Narrative Feature, #In Competition, #Noire

Wilder Than Her
directed by Jessica Kozak
United States // 2023 // English // 89 min
When Bea, the glue of their friend group, dies tragically, Emilia, Finn, and Lucey suffer in solitude until Emilia convinces them to go on their annual camping trip, where they can honor Bea and reconnect. Once they’re alone in the forest, however, Emilia begins to feel gaslit and taunted by Finn, the only person who witnessed Bea’s death. As tensions escalate and old wounds are brought to the surface, the trio of women begin to suspect each other of terrible things, calling into question their friendship and their own morality.
#In Competition, #Narrative Feature, #New Mavericks

Party Girl
directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer
United States // 1995 // English // 94 min
Plazadrome is a monthly film screening partnership between the Plaza Theatre and Videodrome, Atlanta’s last video store, where Videodrome employees bring store favorites and cinematic curiosities to the big screen. This month’s selection is the Atlanta premiere screening of a brand-new restoration of PARTY GIRL, director Daisey von Scherler Mayer’s 1995 Manhattan cult comedy starring the sublime Parker Posey. Co-hosted by Fun City Editions, who commissioned and oversaw the restoration, this event will feature a Q&A with Fun City founder Jonathan Hertzberg and Millie De Chirico, local film programmer, writer, historian, and host of the weekly film podcast I Saw What You Did.  
#Narrative Feature

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Black Mothers Love & Resist
directed by Débora Souza Silva
United States // 2022 // English // 102 min
Wanda Johnson and Angela Williams, mothers of young Black men victimized by police brutality, come together and build a network of community-led support, mutual aid, and healing in this documentary spanning Oakland’s Fruitvale to the American South. Radical empathy fuels this timely exposé. 
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature, #Noire, #New Mavericks

Dusty & Stones
directed by Jesse Rudoy
United States  // 2022 // English, SiSwati // 83 min
Dusty and Stones struggle to sustain a country music career in their tiny African Kingdom of Swaziland and yearn for greater recognition. When they are unexpectedly nominated to compete in a Texas battle of the bands, the two cousins journey to the heart of American country music, determined to win big and turn their careers around.But things do not exactly go as planned. 
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature, #Talent Anticipated

Eat Bitter
directed by Pascale Appora-Gnekindy and Ningyi Sun
Central African Republic, United States // 2023 // Sango, Chinese, French // 95 min
EAT BITTER is a vérité film set in the Central African Republic . As in other African countries, skilled migrant workers  from China are a strong presence here.  Through the parallel stories of Chinese immigrants and local residents, the film captures the journeys of two opposed communities. 
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature, #Noire

Fenom
directed by Kayla Johnson
United States  // 2022 // English // 66 min
Fenom follows basketball and music’s next big star -Flau’Jae Johnson,  one of the nation’s top recruits and the daughter of the late rapper, Camouflage. Building her brand and balancing life as a student-athlete comes with hard work, sacrifice, and triumph.  This is a story of legacy, victory and the pursuit of greatness.
#In Competition, #Georgia Film, #Noire, #New Mavericks, #Documentary Feature

Gabi: Between Ages 8 and 13
directed by Engeli Broberg
Sweden, Denmark, Norway // 2021 // Swedish // 76 min
GABI: Between 8 and 13 follows the remarkable Gabi over the course of five formative years as she wrestles with society’s stereotypes about boys and girls. As puberty kicks in, Gabi must decide whether she wants to fit in with the crowd or chart her own path. A landmark portrait of early adolescence, GABI: From 8 to 13 is ultimately about the journey to be true to yourself. 
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature, #Pink Peach, #New Mavericks

It's Only Life After All
directed by Alexandria Bombach
United States // 2023 // English // 123 min
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, better known as The Indigo Girls, have made their mark as musicians, songwriters, and dedicated activists.  Still, Amy and Emily battled misogyny, homophobia, and a harsh cultural climate chastising them for not fitting into a female pop star mold. A timely look into the obstacles, activism, and life lessons of two queer friends who never expected to make it big. 
#Documentary Feature, #In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Pink Peach, #Talent Anticipated

JessZilla
directed by Emily Sheskin
United States  // 2023 // English // 90 min
Jesselyn Silva, a 15-year-old girl from New Jersey, is a 3x national boxing champion who has her sights set on becoming the best in boxing.  As she is on the cusp of making the Olympic team, she faces her toughest battle yet, a cancer diagnosis. JessZilla is a coming-of-age story about what it means to be a champion.
#Documentary Feature, #Cinemás, #New Mavericks, #In Competition

No Time To Fail
directed by Sara Archambault, Margo Guernsey
United States // 2022 // English // 91 min
Despite the desperate attempts to disrupt the 2020 election, election administrators pulled off the most secure election in our history. Rather than receiving a hero’s welcome, they have become the focus of a coordinated campaign of disinformation.No Time To Fail gives voice to the experiences of this largely invisible, yet completely indispensable workforce.
#Documentary Feature, #In Competition

Path of the Panther
directed by Eric Bendick
United States  // 2022 // English // 89 min
The Florida panther's habitat has become an island. Its lush territory transformed into subdivisions.Perched on the edge of extinction, the panther is an emblem of our once connected world. Against all odds, wild panthers have been stunningly captured in their native ecosystem, as they've never been filmed before.
#Documentary Feature, #In Competition

Savage Waters
directed by Mikey Corker
France // 2022 // English // 93 min
A treasure-hunter’s journal inspires a captivating journey to seek out a mythical, never-ridden wave in some of the most remote and dangerous waters of the Atlantic Ocean. With family and friends, Matt Knight  boards the beautiful catamaran Hecate and follows  clues to find  this ‘perfect wave’, but not everything goes to plan.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature

Ship Happens
directed by Jordan Bellamy, Josh Gilligan
United States  // 2023 // English // 81 min
On Sept 8, 2019, The Golden Ray, a 656 foot cargo ship loaded with 4200 vehicles capsized in the Saint Simons Sound. Concerned locals work hard to undo the environmental damage and hold authorities accountable, but the attempts to remove the ship suffers every possible setback. 
#Georgia Film, #Documentary Feature, #In Competition

Silent Beauty
directed by Jasmín Mara López
United States // 2022 // English, Spanish // 87 min
When director Jasmin Mara López sees an old family photo, she is flooded by painful memories of sexual abuse at the hands of her grandfather. In this poetic documentary, López bravely films her story through archival family footage and intimate moments with her family. López has created a film about confronting painful truths and the beauty one can feel when they reach the other side of grief.
#New Mavericks, #Cinemás, #Documentary Feature

The Only Doctor
directed by Matthew Hashiguchi
United States // 2023 // English // 80 min
For the past 15 years, Dr. Karen Kinsell, a compassionate, yet no-nonsense physician, has been the only doctor in Clay County, Georgia-one of the poorest counties in the nation. Knowing all too well that she’s the only healthcare for many residents, she begins a journey of twists and turns towards a solution so that she can continue serving her patients,
#Preview Screening, #Documentary Feature, #New Mavericks, #In Competition, #Georgia Film

This World is Not My Own
directed by Petter Ringbom, Marquise Stillwell
United States, Sweden // 2023 // English // 97 min
This World is Not My Own traces the lifespan of Nellie Mae Rowe, an artist who struggled to dedicate her life to art while exploring the personal and political events that shaped her singular body of work. In detailed film sets that recreate Nellie’s home, the actress Uzo Aduba embodies an animated version of the subject. Her recorded dialogue, movement and song make Nellie come to life.
#In Competition, #Georgia Film, #Noire, #Documentary Feature

Twenty
directed by Lev Omelchenko
United States  // 2023 // English, Portuguese  // 65 min
Amid the tumultuous events of 2020, a mysterious speak-easy in Atlanta  becomes a home for a group of young people to share their stories of loss, resilience, and hope. “Twenty” is an observational film, set in a dreamy underground world, witnessing a group’s unique yet universal vulnerabilities—shown through scenes shot in intimate black-and-white.
#Georgia Film, #Documentary Feature, #In Competition

ᏓᏗᏬᏂᏏ (We Will Speak)
directed by Schon Duncan, Michael McDermit
United States // 2023 // Cherokee, English // 95 min
While there are 430,000 Cherokee citizens in the three federally recognized tribes, fewer than an estimated 2,000 fluent speakers remain—the majority of whom are elderly. Language activists, artists, and the youth must now lead the charge to help save the language from extinction.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature

NARRATIVE SHORTS

Black Butterfly
directed by Kelvin Summerhill
United States // 2023 // English // 13 min
On the day of his long-awaited corporate promotion, an ambitious Black man starts to see cracks in his carefully constructed persona.
#Noire, #GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

Bowling 4 Eva
directed by Aelfie Oudghiri
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
A troubled teen girl spends her time trolling men online and bowling with her grandfather while becoming increasingly medicated by her psychiatrist.
#New Mavericks, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

CATCHING SPIRITS
directed by Vanessa Beletic
United States // 2022 // English // 13 min
Destiny has been told since childhood she has seizures when she dances. An unexplained phenomena that’s resulted in deep fear and her refusal to dance- despite being drawn to it.
#Noire, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

Chipper
directed by Shaun Maclean
United States // 2023 // English // 20 min
After receiving a mysterious letter, a wayward son returns to his childhood home to wrestle with a dark family secret.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

Civic
directed by Dwayne LeBlanc
United States // 2022 // English // 20 min
A young man returns to South Central L.A. after several years away. Confined to the interior of his car, we watch as he interacts with the people and places he once knew.
#Noire, #Narrative Short

CONTENT: The Lo-Fi Man
directed by Brian Lonano, Blake Myers
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
"Filmmaker" Brian Lonano tries to talk about a beloved cult film. What happens next will shock you!
#Georgia Film, #GA Shorts Competition, #Narrative Short

Dandelion
directed by Lorena R. Valencia
Mexico, United States // 2022 // Spanish // 17 min
A teenage girl who lives in a small town in Mexico, is helped by her best friend in her search for home remedies to stop an unwanted pregnancy, undeterred by the health risks that she may face.
#Cinemás, #Narrative Short

Demon Box
directed by Sean Wainsteim
Canada // 2023 // English // 14 min
After festival rejections, a director revises his intensely personal short film about trauma, suicide, and the Holocaust, and transforms it into a painful, blunt and funny dissection of the film and his life. Ten years in the making.
#Narrative Short

Fragments
directed by Jakey Lutsko
United States // 2022 // English // 7 min
Bedridden and broken, Emma, a young woman in her early twenties, faces the horrors manifested from her recent car crash.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Gabriela
directed by Evelyn Lorena
United States // 2023 // Spanish, English // 18 min
It's the summer after high-school graduation in North Carolina and Gabriela, a young undocumented Guatemalan woman, pursues her dream of swimming with an illustrious Country Club swim team. However, she is soon confronted with her over-protective mother’s fears, limitations on her legal and socio-economic status, and her own self-judgment.
#Cinemás, #Georgia Film, #GA Shorts Competition, #Narrative Short

Give It To Me
directed by Courtney Hope Therond
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
In a bid to finally process a traumatic sexual experience, Max hires Lucy, a sex worker, to recreate the scene - but things instead take a steamy turn.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Good Man !?!
directed by Marshall Wayne Cooper
United States // 2022 // English // 8 min
A young man grapples with conflicting beliefs about masculinity after a video of him backing down from a fight goes viral.
#Noire, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

Goose Egg
directed by Madeline Leshner and Zach Stone
United States // 2023 // English // 13 min
When a lonely suburban mom begins experiencing hallucinatory migraines, she sends her son Tim to retrieve her medication. While on the road, he is tailed by a menacing truck and taken hostage by a pair of vengeful vagrants. In a case of mistaken identity, they believe Tim is the mayor, who has begun euthanizing local geese and feeding the tainted meat to the community.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Hangtime
directed by Chester Vincent Toye
United States // 2023 // English // 11 min
An eager young artist receives a disturbing introduction to the art world during the delivery of a
controversial sculpture.
#Noire, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

Homesick
directed by Valeria Contreras
United States // 2022 // English // 15 min
“Homesick” is a modern-day tale of two star-crossed lovers, separated by a global pandemic and the U.S.-Mexico Border. This film focuses on the love and bond that unites people and communities across borders—and the heartbreak that exists when that unity is broken.
#Cinemás, #Narrative Short

I Seek Your Help to Bury a Man
directed by Anderson Bardot
Brazil // 2023 // Portuguese, Nheegatu, Calon // 20 min
Gita is a transgender woman doomed to die or suffer the consequences of her traditions. The half-breed soldier is fated to uphold and serve the unjust laws of his country. The old woman in black needs to save her indigenous son from the claws of the Brazilian Empire. The child claims that the purpose of love, the greatest universal law, is the breaking of the cycle of all tragedies.
#Cinemás, #Narrative Short

Impression
directed by Brandi Stevens
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
Set in the late 90’s Texas, Impression follows a young perfectionist art graduate student, Mia, and her internal struggle over her looming marriage to her doctor fiancé, Derek. She is soon surprised at her developing feelings from a day spent with a mysterious, free-spirited young woman, Vivian.
#Noire, #New Mavericks, #GA Shorts Competition, #Pink Peach, #Narrative Short

Kid Free Weekend
directed by Rozalyn Mattocks
United States // 2022 // English // 13 min
Vivian finally has a weekend all to herself, she won't let anything eat up her free time.
#GA Features Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Late to the Party
directed by Hannah Patterson
United States // 2023 // English // 16 min
During his 25th birthday party, a Trans man runs into his ex-best friend who ghosted him after he confessed his feelings for her before college, but she doesn't recognize him post-transition.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Pink Peach, #New Mavericks, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

Lily's Mirror
directed by Linnea Frye, Adam Pinney
United States // 2022 // English // 17 min
Lily is out on a dinner date with her boyfriend Bart, expecting a proposal, when he unexpectedly chops off her hand. As Lily works on recovering, she begins to feel phantom pains where her hand used to be, so her doctor gives her a therapeutic mirror box to help with the discomfort. However, as she begins to use the box, she realizes there's a side effect: she can see real phantoms in the mirror.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Look Back At It
directed by Felicia Pride
United States // 2023 // English // 12 min
A forty-something single mother gets her groove back with a little assistance from her teenage daughter
#In Competition, #Noire, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Lumps
directed by David Nixon Jr.
United States // 2023 // English // 20 min
After the sudden incarceration of his mother, thirteen-year-old Jaylen is forced to move to a new city where he struggles to learn the ropes of his new school, city, and family life.
#Noire, #Georgia Film, #GA Shorts Competition, #Narrative Short

Murmur
directed by Simon Smith
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 19 min
Murmur is a contemporary fairytale short film, about the relationship between a mother and her autistic daughter, and their fascination with the murmurations. Evie doesn't talk very much, but we learn she is communicating with everything.
#New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

No Other Gods But Me
directed by Alex Spott
United States // 2023 // English // 7 min
In the midst of a sexual awakening, a religious teen finally musters up the courage to kiss her crush, but will lust will send her straight to h-e-double-hockey-sticks?
#New Mavericks, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

One Yes the Other No
directed by Juanita Umaña
United States // 2022 // Spanish // 11 min
In the mountains of Bogota, a woman ages before our eyes experiencing small moments in her life that shape her understanding of sisterhood, beauty, and death. The story follows two sisters in three different
stages of their life—one of them falls ill, the other doesn’t.
#New Mavericks, #Cinemás, #GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

OURIKA!
directed by Xenia Matthews
United States // 2022 // English, French // 18 min
After being dead for over 200 years, Ourika’s soul awakes inside of a barren purgatory while her body incubates in a fleshy blob. In the void, she encounters ghosts from her past life and depictions of her likeness that taunt her. Meanwhile, two sister scientists, Velinda and Ronnell, been searching for all the pieces of Ourika in hopes to bring her back to life.
#Noire, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Over the Causeway
directed by Pablo Mejía
United States // 2023 // English, Spanish // 16 min
Over the Causeway is the coming-of-age story of Victoria, a twenty-year-old jazz musician born and raised in Galveston TX. As she ties up loose ends around town, she is confronted by doubtful neighbors, childhood friends, and dependent family members who question her decision to chase her dreams beyond the Gulf.
#Cinemás, #In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Pink Peach, #Narrative Short

Petalos
directed by Nicole Mejia
United States // 2023 // English, Spanish // 14 min
A Mexican flower vendor spreads hope and love through the streets of Los Angeles while reminiscing on the life that led her there.
#Cinemás, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

RACE
directed by Sean Famoso, Dennis Williams, Gladimir Gelin
United States // 2022 // English // 5 min
An overly confident cop’s first day on the job gets interesting as he navigates unfamiliar territories and people.
#Georgia Film, #Noire, #GA Shorts Competition, #Narrative Short

Rage
directed by Youngjae Lee
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
Mr. Nice Guy has a change of heart after a neighbor flips him off.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Roaming Dawn
directed by Adam Rioux
United States // 2022 // English // 13 min
A man takes a road trip with his pet fish.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

Scotty's Vag
directed by Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
A college freshman goes outside her comfort zone to impress the older girl she wants as her sorority "big."
#New Mavericks, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

Slice
directed by Kelsey Scult
United States // 2022 // English // 15 min
A young Black woman grieves her grandfather while trying to love her mortician girlfriend, after a tumultuous relationship Chilean abuse victim.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Cinemás, #Noire, #Pink Peach, #Narrative Short

Sound to Sea
directed by Ryan Craver
United States // 2022 // English // 26 min
Leo, a shy eighth grader at the cusp of understanding their trans identity, pursues a crush on a boy sharing his dorm, but is plagued by a frog. Meanwhile, Leo's eager, gay teacher-in-training Brad tries to connect with his students, but oversteps boundaries in the eyes of a coworker. It is only in nature, among marshes and maritime forests, that Leo and Brad find an unspoken connection.
#Pink Peach, #Narrative Short

The Jennifer Meyers Story
directed by Caroline Symons
United States // 2023 // English // 13 min
A mock true-crime episode covers the 1988 disappearance of a fictional teenager named Jennifer Meyers, but the reenactments are acted out with crudely-made mini models. As the episode progresses, we learn more about the woman constructing and operating the reenactment mini models and the danger lurking in her one bedroom apartment.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

The Vacation
directed by Jarreau Carrillo
United States // 2022 // English // 9 min
In Flatbush, Brooklyn, four friends are stuck in their car after it breaks down on the way to the beach on the last day of the summer.
#Noire, #Narrative Short

TikTok Challenged
directed by Ivan Rome
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
Claretha, a soap opera-loving grandmother, has always dreamed of being a star - and she's finally got her chance: TIKTOK. To go viral though, she needs a little help from her grandson, Daryl, who didn't exactly plan spending the day teaching her how to do the newest TikTok dance.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Noire, #Georgia Film, #Family Friendly, #Narrative Short

Troy
directed by Mike Donahue
United States // 2022 // English // 16 min
Troy has loud sex 24-7. Troy shares a wall with Thea and Charlie. Troy is ruining their lives... or is he saving them? A darkly comedic tale of New York neighbors, the ways in which we become interwoven with the lives of strangers, and the unexpected consequences of unasked-for intimacy.
#New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

True Love Waits
directed by Erin Doyle Cooper
United States // 2023 // English // 6 min
When freshman art students Viv and Cameron sneak into a studio classroom to practice figure drawing on one another, they must grapple with their budding sexuality and whether they can stick to the "True Love Waits" pledges they signed in their youth.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Would You Still Love Me?
directed by Ramsey Telhami
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
A romantic picnic takes an unexpected turn after she pops the magic question: "Would you love me if I was a ___?"
#Georgia Film, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Yarayah
directed by Bernardo De Jeurissen
France // 2023 // Arab French // 20 min
Yarayah is the story of Yasmina, a Algerian and French female bodybuilder who goes back home after winning the world championship at the Arnold classic. This story depicts the moment in which Yasmina has to face her father's closed doors.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

#BlackBoyJoyGone
directed by Ashley Karrell and Isaac Ouro-Gnao
United Kingdom // 2022 // English // 25 min
Blending interviews, poetry, dance and storytelling, BlackBoyJoyGone captures the lives of men who experienced sexual trauma but who find strength through brotherhood.
#In Competition, #Documentary Short, #Noire

Access Point
directed by Alexander glustrom
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
Riley Kirkpatrick, a trans man living in rural Georgia, advocates for the safety and rights of drug users after founding the only harm reduction center in the area.
#In Competition, #GA Shorts Competition, #Documentary Short

Black Strings
directed by Marquise Mays
United States // 2023 // English // 12 min
A string orchestra in Milwaukee, WI redefines what it means to be a first responder.
#Noire, #Documentary Short, #In Competition

Blue
directed by Guénola Bally
Mexico // 2022 // Spanish // 11 min
BLUE follows the Contreras family as they harvest the jiquilite plant to produce a deep blue dye.
#Documentary Short, #Cinemás, #New Mavericks

Breaking Silence
directed by Amy Bench, Annie Silverstein
United States // 2023 // English, ASL // 18 min
BLUE follows the Contreras family as they harvest the jiquilite plant to produce a deep blue dye.
#Documentary Short, #New Mavericks

Cristo Negro
directed by Brendan Mills, Paul Stavropoulos
Panama // 2023 // Spanish // 18 min
A spiritual portrait of the devout inhabitants of an Afro-Caribbean coastal town that worships a black Jesus Christ.
#Noire, #Cinemás, #Family Friendly, #In Competition, #Documentary Short

Eco-Hack!
directed by Josh Izenberg and Brett Marty
United States // 2022 // English // 17 min
Biologist Tim Shields is waging an all-out technological war against ravens in a last ditch effort to save the Mojave desert tortoise from extinction.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #Family Friendly

Exit 238
directed by Henry Davis
United States // 2022 // English // 12 min
Every year in Austin Texas, hundreds of people gather together to marvel at the sight of thousands of Purple Martins as they journey along their migratory path to Brazil.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #Family Friendly

From Dreams to Dust
directed by Stephanie Tangkilisan, Muhammad Fadli
Indonesia, United States // 2022 // Indonesia // 10 min
Dreams to Dust tells the story of Pola, a nickel miner and family man from Indonesia. Through Pola’s eyes we see the dark side of green technology.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

I Don't Know If You Remember This
directed by Katelyn Rebelo
United States // 2022 // english // 16 min
A group of former highschool classmates explore the memory of unspoken sexual assault, following the rhythms of the seventeen year cicada emergence in Virginia.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

In The Light
directed by Ruoyu Wang
United States // 2022 // English // 5 min
A young man comes to terms with his gender identity while exploring themes of faith and nature.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Our memory
directed by Johanna Makabi
France // 2022 // French // 12 min
Mbissine Therese Diop, who played the starring role in the 1966 film, “Black Girl”, looks back on her experience as a Black actress in the 1960s.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Noire

Radio Bingo
directed by Shelby Mitchell Adams
Canada // 2023 // English, Mohawk // 8 min
To help revitalize the Mohawk language, a local reservation radio station incorporates the Mohawk language into a game of Radio Bingo.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition

Still Waters
directed by Aurora Brachman
United States // 2022 // English // 12 min
A mother and daughter find connection and peace through intimate conversations about their past.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #Cinemás

Strictly Two Wheel
directed by Ania Freer
Jamaica // 2022 // English // 10 min
An intimate portrait on a family owned mechanic shop in rural Jamaica and a father’s love for his children and community.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #Noire

The Blake
directed by Courtney Sposato, Mark Sposato
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
This cinematic memoir explores how the filmmaker’s childhood experience with a replica of the
Challenger space shuttle helped her cope with a devastating loss.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

The Boston Photograph
directed by Clennon L. King
United States // 2022 // English // 8 min
LaVerne Eagleson, a 91-year-old woman from Berlin, MD, tells the story of how she dated Martin Luther King Jr.
#Georgia Film, #Documentary Short, #GA Shorts Competition, #New Mavericks, #Noire

Wild Magnolias
directed by Alexandra Kern
United States // 2022 // English // 15 min
A New Orleans based barber teaches his protégés the virtues of being a Mardi Gras Indian, a centuries-old tradition that shapes the minds of the local youth.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Year One
directed by Cai Ning
Belgium, Portugal, Hungary // 2023 // English, Chinese, Dutch // 21 min
A sensitive group portrait of the first-time mothers.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Young Kings
directed by Jonathan Banks & Dr. Arshley Emile
United States // 2022 // English // 23 min
From Ponce De Leon to Ralph David Abernathy, this film explores the exciting world of bike culture in the heart of Atlanta.
#Documentary Short, #GA Shorts Competition, #Noire

ANIMATED SHORTS

Clicker
directed by Charles Kugler
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
Two boyfriends take a tour of their dysfunctional relationship through the magic of television.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #Pink Peach

Curiosa
directed by Tessa Moult-Milewska
United Kingdom // 2022 // English // 10 min
Overly curious Mary climbs into her boyfriend's head in search of answers.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Fury
directed by Julia Siuda
Poland // 2021 // // 5 min
Organic, fleshy masks become icons of living rage.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Hospes
directed by Stephanie J Williams
United States // 2022 // // 12 min
A film about appearing "racially ambiguous". Performing a choreography of resistance, an amalgam of body pieces tries to remain whole in an environment programmed to disassemble it.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #Noire, #New Mavericks

In the Big Yard Inside the Teeny-Weeny Pocket
directed by Yoko Yuki
Japan // 2022 // Japanese // 6 min
When it shrinks, it expands. It floats and it sinks. It separates but connects. When I think I’m watching them, they're actually watching me.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Family Friendly

Me and me
directed by ChiuLing Chen
Taiwan // 2022 // Mandarin // 10 min
A pencil hand-drawn animated short film, depicting the life of solitude into a short, light, black and white song .
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Pills! Pills! Pills!
directed by Kate Saltel
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
During Lobster Lobster's first day as an unpaid intern at a snazzy pharmaceutical company, an abrasively hardworking coworker makes their one assigned task impossible,
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Rest in piece
directed by Antoine Antabi
France, Germany // 2022 // // 9 min
A starving migrant man starving and resorts to eating the objects he has packed for the journey. The monstrous effects give him the strength to carry on through a scorching desert.
#Animated Short, #In Competition

Rosemary A.D. (After Dad)
directed by Ethan Barrett
United States // 2022 // English // 10 min
As he cradles his newborn, a father wonders if his daughter would be better off without him and imagines her life once he is gone. Completely drawn with crayons.
#Animated Short, #In Competition

Shelf Life
directed by Erin Zhang
United States // 2022 // English // 8 min
Mealtime and aging intersect in this stop-motion short about female shelf life.
#Animated Short, #In Competition

Sprout
directed by Zora Kovac
United States // 2023 // // 8 min
An agoraphobic scientist accidentally creates a baby-like plant creature, and their connection threatens to upend his reclusive way of life.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Tavla
directed by Zoe Bysal
United States // 2023 // // 8 min
A stray cat must rescue her friend from the depths of the Aegian Sea.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

The Law of the Jungle Gym
directed by Yoon Hei Cho
United States, Korea // 2022 // // 6 min
A dog-eat-dog survival game takes place in the seemingly innocent environment of a school at lunchtime.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Maverick

EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS

An Example of Lee-Roth Fog Isolated Under Laboratory Conditions
directed by Ryan Betschart
United States // 2022 // English // 3 min
Spiritual mists are a stand in for the nuts and bolts details surrounding the life of enigmatic Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth.
#Experimental Short

Arrest in Flight
directed by Adrian Flury
Switzerland // 2021 // // 8 min
An experiment in film sets the stage for a hitherto unseen magical life form.
#Experimental Short

as time passes
directed by Jamil McGinnis
United States, Turkey // 2022 // English, Turkish, Persian // 15 min
Through journal entries, a mother’s words, neighborhood stories, and existential inquiries; one still searches for meaning beyond the walls of one's mind.
#Experimental Short, #Noire

Boys Clap, Girls dance
directed by Dena Springer
United States // 2022 // English // 10 min
A short meditation on becoming and being.
#Experimental Short, #New Mavericks

ELE OF THE DARK
directed by Yace Sula
United States // 2022 // English // 13 min
A nonbinary visual artist contemplates their relationship with darkness and its hold on their complexion, trauma and queerness.
#Experimental Short, #Pink Peach, #New Mavericks, #Talent Anticipated, #Noire

I was born in 1988
directed by Yasaman Baghban
United States // 2022 // Persian, English // 9 min
An experimental documentary based on the executions of Iranian political prisoners that began in thesummer of 1988.
#Experimental Short, #New Mavericks

Only If You Could See a View Above the Clouds
directed by Zhuoyun (Yun) Chen
United States // 2022 // English // 4 min
A ghost, a face, lucid minerals, vague landscapes... What do you see when my words fall?
#Experimental Short, #New Mavericks

Stinger
directed by Brian Zahm
United States // 2021 // English // 5 min
A filmmaker documents his own subtropical parasitic disease...
#Experimental Short

Sun Coming and Casting a Shadow
directed by Daniel Robin
United States // 2022 // English // 7 min
A film about time, memory, fear, and the challenges of holding onto joy.
#Experimental Short, #Georgia Film

What I Imagined the Dying Fly, with the Broken Leg, was Feeling
directed by Hugh Clegg
United Kingdom // 2022 // English, Italian // 5 min
A short film about a dying fly's last words, and an Italian voice over artist.
#Experimental Short

MUSIC VIDEO

American Football - "Fade Into You"
directed by David M. Helman
United States // 2022 // English // 7 min
A narrative music video for the band American Football.
#Music Video

Arssalendo - "Quattro Paredi"
directed by Giada Bossi
Italy // 2022 // Italian // 6 min
When the family of a kid hides from him his dog’s death, the older brother takes the kid on a brutal journey towards the grieving process.
#Music Video, #New Mavericks

Astral Summer - "Lucia (Love Yourself)"
directed by Elli Maven
United States // 2022 // English // 6 min
I can't wait to see where you'll go!
#Music Video, #New Mavericks, #Georgia Film

Duffle Bag Buru - "What's Crakin"
directed by Tanaseth (Pong) Tulyathan
United States // 2022 // English // 2 min
A man trapped in the multi reality, has to overcome his consequences.
#Music Video, #Noire

Indigo De Souza - "Kill Me"
directed by Jordan Alexander
United States // 2021 // English // 5 min Indigo de Souza's music video for the lead single entitled "Kill Me" features amateur wrestlers and the growing sport of cake sitting.
#Music Video, #Noire

Linqua Franqa - "The Whole Bank"
directed by Nolan Huber-Rhoades
United States // 2023 // English // 6 min
Linqua Franqa and a group of indebted workers must find a way to fight for their own liberation and the liberation of everyone who is held hostage by debt.
#Music Video, #Pink Peach, #Georgia Film

Mermaid
directed by Haonan Huang
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
A moody music video about a mysterious mermaid.
#Music Video, #Georgia Film

Sadé Awele - "Intuition"
directed by Bruna Arbex
Canada // 2023 // English // 5 min
Two adventurous souls stumble upon an abandoned house and transform it into their very own haven, a powerful representation of their love blossoming.
#Music Video, #New Mavericks, #Cinemás

Säye Skye - "ADHD"
directed by Sina Dolati
Canada // 2022 // Farsi, English // 5 min
A Persian music video that celebrates Attention Hyperactivity Disorder as a superpower through a lens of comedy and science fiction.
#Music Video

Tianna Esperanza - "Princess Slit and the Raincoat Prince"
directed by Peter Collins Campbell
United States // 2022 // English // 2 min
A queer, punk rollercoaster - smashing through walls, sets and reality.
#Music Video, #Cinemás, #Pink Peach

Tosya Chaikina - "Arrows Have Struck In The Heart"
directed by Yulya Litinskaya
Russia // 2022 // Russian // 4 min
In a surreal world, the Main Character falls from the sky and becomes an observer to chaos as people flee from the Dark-soul people.
#Music Video, #New Mavericks

Wim Tapley - "Gut Punch"
directed by Connor DiVita
United States // 2022 // English // 5 min
It's all about the moped.
#Music Video, #Cinemás, #Pink Peach

EPISODIC

A Version
directed by Asad Farooqui
United States // 2023 // English, Urdu // 10 min
When a newly married Muslim-American couple visit a therapist to hash out their differences, we, the audience, get to see exactly what they’re complaining about.
#Episodic, #Georgia Film

Brownsville Bred
directed by Elaine Del Valle
United States // 2022 // English, Spanish // 22 min
A spunky Latina must find her own path as she faces the grim realities of the musician father she once idolized and the deteriorating neighborhood she calls home
#Episodic, #New Mavericks, #Cinemás

Don't Let Kyle Sit Down
directed by Joel Jay Blacker
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
When a couple attempts to depart from a fading party, their desperate friend suggests throwing one
more log on the fire, summoning a charred, shirtless stranger looking for warmth.
#Episodic

Good Boy
directed by William Yu
United States // 2022 // English, Korean // 16 min
A young Korean American with dreams of launching his own streetwear brand struggles with
dysfunctional relationships and conflicting family values.
#Episodic

Harbor Island
directed by Calvin Lee Reeder
United States // 2023 // English // 17 min
A dad-joke comic wanders the industrial zone at night.
#Episodic

How To Be A Person: How To Get An Abortion
directed by SINDHA AGHA
United Kingdom // 2022 // English // 6 min
After booty calling Jawad from Sunday school, Sanam’s found herself pregnant with no one reliable to accompany her as her “abortion plus one.”
#Episodic, #New Mavericks

Off Fairfax
directed by Erica Eng
United States // 2022 // English // 7 min
After a tumultuous night trying to solve a murder, three friends are led to a local diner where the answer may be staring them right in the face.
#Episodic, #New Mavericks, #Noire

Phlophouse: Patton's Theory
directed by Grant Hollingshed Jackson
United States // 2022 // English // 5 min
A young man turns his friend's home into a motel while he's out of town.
#Episodic, #Noire, #Georgia Film

Sheltered
directed by Ben Evory
United States // 2023 // English // 45 min
His first year of college complete, Nathan returns home to the Appalachian foothills. With his dad’s help he reintegrates back into his progressive protestant community and prepares for a mission trip to Honduras. But what once seemed normal now feels foreign, and Nathan must build his own relationship to his father’s faith.
#Episodic, #Pink Peach

Sorry I am late i was masturbating
directed by Alena Shevchenko
Germany // 2022 // English // 6 min
A young woman discovers her own sexuality through wild fantasies.
#Episodic, #New Mavericks

VIRTUAL REALITY

Caves
directed by Carlos Isabel Garcia
Switzerland // 2021 // English // 19 min
Mankind has landed on the moon and flies around in space. But under our feet there are about a million kilometers of cave systems—only one per cent of which has been explored.
#Virtual Reality

Cycle of Violence
directed by Felicia Bergström
Germany // 2022 // English // 8 min
So sweet, so painful - a love trapped by violence and fears, animated with stop motion, puppets and clay.
#Virtual Reality, #New Mavericks

Musalem: from (selm); who lives in peace
directed by Mariam Al-Dhubhani
Yemen, United States, Jordan // 2022 // Arabic, English // 10 min
Amat Al-Lateef and Mohammed try to keep Yemeni honey available locally and abroad, despite the obstacles and destructions infused by seven years of war.
#Virtual Reality, #New Mavericks

Surfacing
directed by Rossella Schillaci
Italy, Portugal // 2022 // Italian // 20 min
A 360 immersive fairy tale, set amongst mothers and children who live in prison.
#Virtual Reality, #New Mavericks

The Choice
directed by Joanne Popinska
Canada, Poland // 2021 // English // 25 min
A Virtual Reality documentary about maternal health and reproductive rights.
#Virtual Reality, #New Maverick

2022 Atlanta Film Festival Unveils Key Programming and Full Lineup of Official Selections for 46th Annual Event, Including 27 World Premieres

The film festival and Creative Conference will return in-person and virtually with an Opening Night presentation of “892” and an impressively diverse lineup of more than 150 selected works, 11 Marquee films, and 25 educational events

ATLANTA, GA (March 29, 2022) — The 46th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) today revealed key programming highlights, including Opening and Closing Night presentations and the full lineup of selected works from a record-breaking nearly 10,000 submissions. Highlighted by the Opening Night presentation of “892” and Closing Night film “Mija”, 11 Marquee screenings will combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film. The 155 total announced creative works from submissions will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world. The film festival and educational conference will take place Thursday, April 21 through Sunday, May 1, 2022, at multiple venues in Atlanta and virtually.

“We’re particularly excited about this year because we are not only back to in-person screenings, but our hybrid format will provide even more opportunities for audiences to participate around the globe,” said Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Festival. “A huge part of our ethos is advocating for diverse voices, which is why it’s even more important that we continue to evolve and connect with communities everywhere in new and innovative ways.”

Kicking off a robust slate of Marquee programming that will be presented throughout the 11-day festival, the Opening Night presentation of Bleecker Street’s dramatic thriller “892” will take place at the Plaza Theatre on Friday, April 22. Starring John Boyega, the late Michael K. Williams, Nicole Beharie, and Connie Britton, the film follows a Marine war veteran who faces mental and emotional challenges when he tries to reintegrate back into civilian life. Director Abi Damaris Corbin will be on-hand for the red carpet screening.

The Closing Night presentation of the Disney+ documentary “Mija” will be held on Saturday, April 30, at the Plaza Theatre. Directed by Isabel Castro, the film follows Doris Muñoz, who began a career in music talent management and met Jacks Haupt, an auspicious young singer, and both share the ever-present guilt of being the first American-born members of their undocumented families.

Some highlights of the Marquee programming from celebrated filmmakers and Hollywood studios announced today include narrative features “Cha Cha Real Smooth” starring Dakota Johnson and written and directed by Cooper Raiff, “Emily the Criminal” starring Aubrey Plaza and Theo Rossi, and “Summering”, a coming of age story directed by Georgia-native and celebrated ATLFF alumni James Ponsoldt. Documentary feature highlights include “Look At Me: XXXTENTACION”, an inside look at a gifted young rapper's tumultuous rise to fame before his death at the age of 20, with never-before-seen footage as XXXTENTACION's inner circle speaks out, and “REFUGE”, a story about fear and love in the American South from local Atlanta directors Erin Levin Bernhardt and Din Blankenship.

Since its founding, diversity in programming has been a cornerstone of ATLFF’s mission, demonstrated by the final lineup of 29 feature-length films, 99 short films, and 27 creative media selections. Of these selections, a combined total of 74% are directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary (53%) and/or are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) (56%). Five specialty tracks will return to the 2022 festival including: New Mavericks, celebrating excellence in film from female and gender non-conforming directors and leads; ¡CineMás!, focusing on Latin American culture; Noire, uplifting Black filmmakers, Pink Peach, featuring films with LGBTQ stories and characters, and Georgia Films, highlighting productions with ties to the state of Georgia.

For five years in a row, the festival received a record-breaking number of creative works and screenplay submissions. Works from more than 110 countries were submitted to the festival, and 33 countries are represented among the final lineup of chosen selections. Nearly 20% have ties to the state of Georgia.

The 12th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns with in-person panel discussions and one-on-one in-depth virtual conversations focusing on screenwriting, showrunning, pitching shows, podcasting, directing, producing, cinematography, and editing with industry experts from Georgia to NY and LA. The entire Creative Conference lineup of over 25 events will be announced in the coming weeks. The highlights include Masterclasses, Panels, and Conversations with actress Antonia Gentry (star of Netflix’s “Ginny and Georgia”), actress Priah Ferguson (“Stranger Things”), actor Atkins Estimond (“Hightown”), producer/director Cherien Dabis (“Only Murders in the Building”, “Ozark”), actress Danielle Deadwyler (“The Harder They Fall”, “Station 11”), showrunner Nick Antosca (“Candy”), cinematographer Daniel Patterson (“The Last OG”, “Woke”), director Stacey Muhammed (“Black-ish”, “Queen Sugar”), comedy writer Robert Peacock (“Mad About You”, “Blue Collar TV”), VFX editor Barry Murphy (“1883”), and many more.

ATLFF 2022 will be more accessible than ever, offering a mix of in-person and virtual screenings, as well as virtual Q&A sessions with filmmakers. Screenings will be held at three venues, including Plaza Theatre (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE), Dad’s Garage (569 Ezzard St SE), and The Carter Center (453 Freedom Parkway), with more to come. All virtual screenings and events will be presented via Eventive.

The full schedule of films and events will be available Friday, April 1 at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com and through the ATLFF 2022 app. Festival passes are on sale now on the site. Tickets for individual events will be available at the beginning of April. In-person screening tickets range from $12-50; virtual access is $9.99 per film/panel with an unlimited virtual all-access pass for $85 for both films and Creative Conference. Virtual all-access pass will increase to $100 after Friday, April 1.

The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programming that is provided year-round by its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject).

2022 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL LINEUP

MARQUEE FILMS

OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION

892
directed by Abi Damaris Corbin
John Boyega, Nicole Beharie, Selenis Leyva, Michael Kenneth Williams, Connie Britton
USA, 2022, English, Bleecker Street, 103 min
A Marine war veteran faces mental and emotional challenges when he tries to reintegrate back into civilian life. #Marquee #Narrative #GeorgiaTie

CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION

MIJA
directed by Isabel Castro
USA, 2022, English, Spanish, Disney+, 85 min
Follows Doris Muñoz, who began a career in music talent management and met Jacks Haupt, an
auspicious young singer, and both share the ever-present guilt of being the first American-born
members of their undocumented families.
#Marquee #Documentary #CineMás #NewMavericks

MARQUEE SCREENINGS

A LOVE SONG
directed by Max Walker-Silverman
Dale Dickey, Wes Studi, Michelle Wilson
USA, 2022, English, Bleecker Street, 81 min
Two childhood sweethearts, both now widowed, share a night by a lake in the mountains.
#Marquee #Narrative

CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH
written and directed by Cooper Raiff
Cooper Raiff, Dakota Johnson
USA, 2022, English, Apple TV, 107 min
A man who works as a bar/bat mitzvah party starter who strikes up a unique friendship with a young mom (Producer Dakota Johnson) and her teenage daughter.
#Marquee #Narrative

REFUGE
directed by Erin Levin Bernhardt, Din Blankenship
USA, 2021, English, 80 min
REFUGE is a story about fear and love in the American South. A leader in a white nationalist hate group finds healing from the people he once hated - a Muslim heart doctor and his town of refugees. Chris is a husband and father, a veteran, and until recently, a leader in the KKK. He started hating Muslims when the planes hit the Twin Towers on 9/11 but is forced to confront his hate when he receives a text from a Muslim refugee, Heval. REFUGE illustrates the false promises of hate and reveals where real and lasting refuge is found. Where there is love, there is refuge.

#Marquee #Documentary #GeorgiaTie

EMILY THE CRIMINAL
directed by John Patton Ford
Aubrey Plaza, Theo Rossi
USA, 2022, English, Roadside, 93 min
Down on her luck and saddled with debt, Emily gets involved in a credit card scam that pulls her into the criminal underworld of Los Angeles, ultimately leading to deadly consequences.
#Marquee #Narrative

LOOK AT ME: (XXXTENTACION)
directed by Sabaah Folayan
USA, 2022, English, Hulu, 108 min
An inside look at a gifted young rapper's tumultuous coming-of-age with never-before-seen footage, as XXXTENTACION's inner circle speaks out for the first time.
#Marquee #Documentary #Noire

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON
directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp
USA, 2021, English, A24, 89 min
Jenny Slate, Isabella Rossellini
Feature adaptation of the animated short film interviewing a mollusk named Marcel.
#Marquee #Narrative

MONTANA STORY
directed by Scott McGehee, David Siegel
USA, 2021, English, Bleecker Street, 113 min
Haley Lu Richardson, Owen Teague
Two estranged siblings return home to the sprawling ranch they once knew and loved, confronting a deep and bitter family legacy against a mythic American backdrop.
#Marquee #Narrative

PHANTOM OF THE OPEN
directed by Craig Roberts
Mark Rylance, Ian Porter
United Kingdom, 2021, English, Sony Classics, 106 min
Maurice Flitcroft, a dreamer and unrelenting optimist managed to gain entry to The British Open Golf Championship Qualifying in 1976 and subsequently shot the worst round in Open history, becoming a
folk hero in the process.
#Marquee #Narrative

SUMMERING
directed by James Ponsoldt
Lia Barnett, Madalen Mills
USA, 2022, English, Bleecker Street, 80 min
During their last days of summer and childhood -- the weekend before middle school begins -- four girls struggle with the harsh truths of growing up and embark on a mysterious adventure.
#Marquee #Narrative #GeorgiaTie

SELECTED WORKS

NARRATIVE FEATURES

BREAKWATER
directed by Cem Demirer
Turkey/UK, 2022, Turkish, 101 minutes
Aslan, a young insecure fisherman who lives on a Turkish island, finds a valuable lobster cave while diving. Knowing this treasure will bring him wealth and the prestige that he has never had in his society, he decides to keep it a secret from his cousin and best friend Yilmaz until he can properly harvest the lobsters by himself. By not sharing the secret, Yilmaz's growing suspicion conjures a series of paranoid obsessions that thrust him into a downward spiral.
#WorldPremiere #InCompetition #Narrative

DO NOT HESITATE
directed by Shariff Korver
Netherlands/Greece, 2021, Dutch/English/Arabic, 90 minutes
After the sudden disappearance of their superior, three young Dutch soldiers are left to guard a military vehicle by themselves. As their situation and the scorching desert heat renders them increasingly disconnected from reality, an encounter with a local boy escalates into a fight that will mark their lives forever.
#Narrative #CinematographyCompetition

EVERY DAY IN KAIMUKĪ
directed by Alika Tengan
USA, 2022, English, 80min
A young man is determined to give his life meaning outside of Kaimukī, the small Hawaiian town where he grew up, even if it means leaving everything he's ever known and loved behind.
#Narrative

THE GAME
directed by Ana Lazarevic
Serbia/USA, 2021, Serbian/English/Arabic, 93 minutes
When STRAHINJA, a smuggler with poor parenting skills and a gambling addiction, becomes stranded with two refugee boys in the Balkan countryside, they must navigate backroads to find an illegal crossing into Western Europe. The boys’ insatiable gusto for life makes Strahinja aware of the walls he has built around his own.
#Narrative

HANDS THAT BIND
directed by Kyle Armstrong
Canada, 2022, English, 116 minutes
Having severed ties with his father, Andy's opportunity to farm as a landowner has been jeopardized. He devotes his life to working another man’s land, trying to establish new roots with his wife and children, and with the hope that the land might one day be his. But those hopes are destroyed when his boss's ungrateful son unexpectedly returns. As Andy struggles with providing for his family in a world that is increasingly unfamiliar, a darkness settles over the community and mysterious occurrences begin; cattle mutilations, drought, a missing teenager, paranoia, and unexplained lights in the sky.
#Narrative #CinematographyCompetition

HÉKATE
directed by Nadia Benedicto
Argentina, 2021, Spanish, 77 minutes
Following a horrific event, Helena and Kira argue on the side of the road. No destination in mind, no plan to follow. The journey unfolds kilometer by kilometer; a journey that soon becomes a ritual — a tribute to the goddess of witches and a ritual of passage towards the autonomy and maturity of her descendants.
#InCompetition #Narrative #PinkPeach #CineMás #NewMavericks

LEARN TO SWIM
directed by Thyrone Tommy
Canada, 2021, English, 93 minutes
Haunted by a tragic loss, Dezi (Thomas Antony Olajide), a jazz musician, cuts off contact with everyone he knows. Time bends, and the lines between his stormy past and reclusive present are blurred, foiling his attempts at solitude and forcing him to face the truth of his past.
#Narrative #Noire

MILES FROM NOWHERE
directed by Jono Mitchell
USA, 2022, English, 76 minutes
Miles is dying. After a year of avoiding his two closest friends, he attempts to reestablish normalcy by gathering them together for their annual cabin trip. However, his plan to reveal his terminal cancer goes awry when Sammy and Victor come clean about secrets of their own. The past becomes the present and the future becomes uncertain as lies, pain, and pride threaten to erase the bonds of friendship entirely.
#WorldPremiere #Narrative #GeorgiaTie #PinkPeach

THE MURDER PODCAST
directed by William Bagley
USA, 2021, English, 91 minutes
Desperate to get more podcast listeners, Chad Thadwick decides he needs a new topic. After a murder in his hometown, the answer is clear: a true crime podcast! With the help of his best friend, Chad starts investigating, only to get wrapped up in a terrifying adventure full of supernatural threats!
#Narrative #GeorgiaTie

NICO
directed by Eline Gehring
Germany, 2021, German/Persian/English, 79 minutes
The self-confident, life-affirming German-Persian Nico is brutally torn from her everyday life by a racially motivated attack. With the help of tough karate training, she tries to channel her anger, but she also loses touch with herself. When Nico meets the Macedonian Ronny, a connection develops between the two women that makes Nico question the path she has chosen.
#Narrative #PinkPeach #NewMavericks

PORTRAITS FROM A FIRE
directed by Trevor Mack
Canada, 2021, English/Tsilhqot'in, 93 minutes
A coming-of-age story that follows Tyler, an eccentric and lonely teenager who spends his days filmmaking, vlogging his Indigenous community, and hanging out with his grandparents. His father, Gord, is physically present but remains emotionally absent from Tyler’s life for reasons Tyler cannot understand. That is until he meets Aaron, a mysterious, charismatic, and influential figure who encourages Tyler to showcase his most personal film about his mother’s disappearance to the community, leading to a reckoning between past and future, life and death, and father and son.
#Narrative

QUICKENING
directed by Haya Waseem
Canada, 2021, English/Urdu, 90 minutes
Sheila, a Pakistani-Canadian teenager struggles to define her identity as she is pulled between her newfound social life at university and her family’s traditional values. After starting a secret relationship with her classmate, Sheila discovers that keeping these two worlds separate comes at a great cost.
#Narrative #NewMavericks #CinematographyCompetition

SALMA’S HOME
directed by Hanadi Elyan
Jordan/USA, 2022, Arabic, 95 minutes
The story follows three women who are facing uncertain times after the death of the family's patriarch Bakri: Salma, Bakri’s ex wife, is a talented baker. Her daughter Farah is struggling with her own marriage. Lamia, Bakri's new wife, is a wannabe socialite and social media influencer. Together they navigate Bakri’s inheritance, finding out that the only way forward is to live together under one roof.
#InCompetition #Narrative #NewMavericks

SHE AND I
directed by Gustavo Rosa de Moura
Brazil, 2021, Portuguese, 102 minutes
20 years ago, while giving birth to her daughter, Bia slipped into a coma. But that didn't stop her—even if just lying there, unconscious—from becoming part of her family's everyday life. Suddenly, however, Bia comes to. And while she's reacquainting herself with sight, speech, movement and the basics of human relationships, her now-adult daughter, her ex-husband and his new wife try to deal with the unexpected living presence of that strange but dearly loved woman.
#Narrative #CineMás

SOUL OF A BEAST
directed by Lorenz Merz 
Switzerland, 2021, Swiss-German/French/Japanese, 110 minutes
In a delirious summer rush, teenage father Gabriel falls in love with enigmatic Corey, the girlfriend of his best friend Joel. Overwhelmed with the decision of his life Gabriel is catapulted into the unforgiving wilderness of his heart, where imagination is more real than reality.
#InCompetition #Narrative #CinematographyCompetition

YOU RESEMBLE ME
directed by Dina Amer
USA/Egypt/France, 2021, French/Arabic, 91 minutes
Cultural and intergenerational trauma erupt in this story about two sisters on the outskirts of Paris. After the siblings are torn apart, the eldest, Hasna, struggles to find her identity, leading to a choice that shocks the world. Director Dina Amer takes on one of the darkest issues of our time and deconstructs it in an intimate story about family, love, sisterhood, and belonging.
#InCompetition #Narrative #NewMavericks

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

AFTER SHERMAN
directed by Jon-Sesrie Goff
USA, 2022, English, 88 minutes
A director’s exploration of coastal South Carolina as a site of pride and racial trauma through Gullah cultural retention and land preservation is interrupted by the shootings at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. AFTER SHERMAN is a story about inheritance and the tension that defines our collective American history. 
#InCompetition #Documentary #Noire

THE BALCONY MOVIE
directed by Paweł Łoziński
Poland, 2021, Polish, 100 minutes
Can anyone be a movie hero? Can the world be locked in one film frame? Director Paweł Łoziński is watching people from his balcony as they are passing by: sad, thoughtful, glued to their phones, young and old. The filmmaker calls out to them, asks questions, and talks about how they deal with life. Standing there with his camera for over 2 years, he creates a space for dialogue, a lay confessional of sorts, where everyone can stop by and tell their story. Every story is unique, and life always surpasses imagination. 
#Documentary

BOYCOTT
directed by Julia Bacha
USA, 2021, English, 73 minutes
When a news publisher in Arkansas, an attorney in Arizona, and a speech therapist in Texas are told they must choose between their jobs and their political beliefs, they launch legal battles that expose an attack on freedom of speech across 33 states in America. BOYCOTT traces the impact of state legislation designed to penalize individuals and companies that choose to boycott Israel due to its human rights record. A bracing look at the far-reaching implications of anti-boycott legislation becomes an inspiring tale of everyday Americans standing up to protect their rights in an age of shifting politics and threats to freedom of speech.
#Documentary #NewMavericks

DAUGHTER OF A LOST BIRD
directed by Brooke Pepion Swaney
USA, 2021, English, 66 minutes
Right after the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 became the law of the land, Kendra Mylnechuk Potter was adopted into a white family and raised with no knowledge of her Native parentage. This beautiful and intimate film follows Kendra on her journey to find her birth mother April, also a Native adoptee, and to return to her Lummi homelands in Washington State. With a sensitive yet unflinching lens, director Brooke Swaney (Blackfeet/Salish) documents Kendra and April as they connect with relatives and navigate what it means to be Native, and to belong to a tribe from the outside looking in. Along the way, Kendra uncovers generations of emotional and spiritual beauty and pain and comes to the startling realization that she is a living legacy of U.S. assimilationist policy. 
#Documentary #NewMavericks

GABOR
directed by Joannie Lafrenière
Canada, 2021, French/English/Hungarian, 101 minutes
A quirky and tender portrait of Gabor Szilasi, the 93-year-old giant of Canadian contemporary photography, as seen through the eyes of his friend, photographer and director Joannie Lafrenière. GABOR tells the story of an immigrant fleeing Hungary and arriving in Canada by boat, creating for himself a rich life full of friends, family and an extraordinary career. Despite his age, Gabor maintains impressive health and lucidity, keeping a touch of madness, an enviable sense of humor, and a sharp take on his adopted society.
#Documentary

IN THE BONES
directed by Kelly Duane de la Vega, co-directed by Zandashé Brown & Jessica Anthony 
USA, 2022, English, 95 minutes
A lyrical documentary that explores the personal and political by interweaving the lives of 12 characters living in Mississippi during a legislative session in which equal pay for equal work and abortion rights are being decided. Although set in three distinct regions of Mississippi, IN THE BONES is a much broader exploration of our culture, an unsettling portrayal of America that lingers, shining a light on the weight women live under in this country and also the resilience expressed in everyday acts of survival.
#WorldPremiere #InCompetition #Documentary #Noire #NewMavericks

MAGALUF GHOST TOWN
directed by Miguel Angel Blanca
Spain, 2021, Spanish/English, 90 minutes
Strange things are happening in Magaluf, a small, peaceful town on the island of Mallorca that many have ventured to call the Balearic Twin Peaks. Overrun with tourists, its residents are torn between an everyday aura of doom and genuine holiday pleasure in a place that has become the European paradigm of low-cost tourism and insatiable nightly entertainment. MAGALUF GHOST TOWN is a choral portrait of a community trying to survive the grips of tourism, mixing documentary and fiction in a mysterious yet humorous look at its ensemble of residents. 
#Documentary

MASTER OF LIGHT
directed by Rosa Ruth Boesten 
USA/Netherlands, 2022, English, 85 minutes
George Anthony Morton is a classical painter who spent ten years in federal prison for dealing drugs. Since his release, he has worked to defy society's expectations and to tackle the white-dominant art world. Journeying back home from Atlanta to Kansas City, George works to heal broken relationships while painting family members in the style of the Dutch Old Masters. Every brushstroke dives deeper into George's soul as he shines a bright light on racial injustice and the intergenerational trauma it begets.
#InCompetition #Documentary #GeorgiaTie #CinematographyCompetition

ONLY I CAN HEAR
directed by Itaru Matsui
Japan/USA, 2021, English/Japanese/ASL/JSL, 54 minutes
In the American Midwest, three hearing teenagers come of age in the vibrant, raucous Deaf community. Balancing both hearing and deaf societies, they often struggle to fit in either world but find connection, understanding, and community in a home between the two disparate spaces, amongst their peers who are also CODA — Children of Deaf Adults.
#Documentary

OUTTA THE MUCK
directed by Bhawin Suchak & Ira Mckinley 
USA, 2022, English, 80 minutes
Family, football and history come to life in an intimate portrait of the Dean family, longtime residents of the historic town of Pahokee, Florida. As we take a journey back home, with filmmaker Ira McKinley, to the land of sugarcane, he reconnects with his niece Bridget and nephew Alvin and explores their shared family history that spans seven generations. Told through stories that transcend space and time, OUTTA THE MUCK presents an intimate portrait of a community that resists despair with love, remaining fiercely self-determined, while forging its own unique narrative of Black achievement.
#InCompetition #Documentary #Noire

PROGNOSIS – NOTES ON LIVING
directed by Debra Chasnoff & Kate Stilley Steiner
USA, 2021, English, 81 minutes
In perhaps her bravest act as a filmmaker, Academy Award-winning documentarian and LGBTQ+ activist Debra Chasnoff responded to her diagnosis of stage-4 cancer by turning the camera on herself, her wife, and her sons to chronicle the journey that lay ahead of them. With customary candor and humor, she took on the assignment out of necessity: not wishing to be defined only as patient or victim, she adopted a role she could play with certainty — that of the storyteller. What emerges is a raw, intimate portrait of shifting relationships and identities, a story about hanging onto the people you love, as you prepare to let them go. Completed according to her wishes by a circle of Bay Area peers and family, PROGNOSIS - NOTES ON LIVING is not only a film about illness. Clear-eyed and unsentimental, intimate and honest, it is the unforgettable, present-tense diary of a life fiercely lived, and a love worth fighting for.
#Documentary #PinkPeach #NewMavericks

RED LIPSTICK
directed by Shiva Sanjari
France/Iran, 2018, Persian, 42 minutes
Masoumeh, a single 34-year-old hairdresser and owner of a small beauty salon in Tehran, shares intimate conversations with her clients, often reflective of the beauty standards and patriarchal pressures present in their lives. An independent business woman in a rigid society, Masoumeh weighs her own high expectations against the prospects of marriage while working to carve a path of her own. 
#Documentary #NewMavericks

A WOMAN ON THE OUTSIDE
directed by Zara Katz & Lisa Riordan Seville
USA, 2022, English, 87 minutes
Growing up, Kristal watched nearly every man in her life disappear to prison. She channeled that struggle into keeping families connected, both as a social worker and with her van service that drives families to visit loved ones in far-off prisons. But when Kristal’s dad and brother return to Philly, her happiness meets the realization that release doesn't always mean freedom. Passionate, funny and resilient, Kristal remains determined to carve out a different future -- for herself and for her young nephew, Nyvae. Part observational documentary, part family album, A WOMAN ON THE OUTSIDE is a tender portrait of one family striving to love in the face of a system built to break them.
#InCompetition #Documentary #NewMavericks

NARRATIVE SHORTS

THE AGENT
directed by Emily Frances Kaplan
USA, 2022, English, 12 minutes
A C-list talent agent moves through the world all but invisible, until he enters a pay-to-play audition room where actors looking for their big break mistakenly imbue him with a god-like power to change their lives.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort

ARTISTIC
directed by Nina Lee 
USA, 2021, English, 12 minutes
Billie Thomas is a lonely teenage artist. Longing for a friend she finds one in an unlikely person. 
#NarrativeShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire #NewMavericks

BEAUTIFUL THEY
directed by Cloudy Rhodes
Australia, 2021, English, 11 minutes
Violet and Blue's youth collide in an early morning toke that leads to the ocean, where connection stirs. A tender, uplifting queer surf-romance about the nuance of gender and the refuge found in being truly seen.
#NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

THE BOND
directed by Jahmil Eady
USA, 2022, English, 18 minutes
An incarcerated pregnant woman goes into labor and fights to stay connected to her baby.
#WorldPremiere #InCompetition #NarrativeShort #Noire #NewMavericks

BURY YOUR FISH
directed by Emma Josephson
USA, 2022, English, 15 minutes
An isolated young woman desperate to rediscover purpose in her life begins taking directions from the cryptic Morse code messages of a mysterious light flashing a few blocks away.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

CHAMP
directed by Hannah Peterson 
USA, 2022, English, 9 minutes
After basketball practice one night, Genevieve reveals a dark secret to her teammates about their coach. Wielding her strategy and grit off the court, Genevieve works together with her teammates to find a way to retaliate.
#InCompetition #NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

CHICKEN
directed by Rana Roy
USA/UAE, 2022, English/Hindi/Arabic, 16 minutes
Awkward and surreal absurdity engulfs a Las Vegas motel room after two misfits, who flew the coop from Saudi Arabia and eloped behind their multi cultural and religious families backs, realize how little they actually know each other.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

CLEARING HOUSE
directed by Andy Long
USA, 2022, English, 10 minutes
A con man realizes that it’s not quite business as usual, when he meets an elderly lady that causes him to second-guess his motives.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort #Noire #PinkPeach

COCHE BOMBA
directed by Kantú Lentz
USA, 2021, English, 11 minutes
Rosa loves aliens and hates everything else, including her annoying little sister. When a car bomb detonates, Rosa must bring her sister to safety by convincing her that aliens have arrived.
#NarrativeShort #NewMavericks #CineMás

A DEER LOST IN THE WOODS
directed by Camilo Diaz
USA, 2021, English, 15 minutes
Francis can't have sex. His therapist doesn't know why. He doesn't know why. In trying to understand, Francis embarks on a fever dream that leads to more confusion.
#NarrativeShort #GeorgiaTie

DON’T GO WHERE I CAN’T FIND YOU
directed by Rioghnach Ni Ghrioghair
Ireland, 2021, English, 20 minutes
A haunted composer's mind spirals into chaos when she attempts to use music to connect with the ghost of her dead lover.
#InCompetition #NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

EL EXTRAÑO EN LA CASA RIVERA
directed by Esteban Bailey
USA (Puerto Rico), 2022, Spanish, 11 minutes
In the aftermath of a hurricane that has ravaged Puerto Rico, a strange creature inhabits the backyard of struggling mother Aida, and her daughter, Aidita.
#NarrativeShort #CineMás

EMPTY NESTERS
directed by Devon Solwold
USA, 2021, English, 15 minutes
A young expecting couple comes to terms with their relationship and their loss.
#NarrativeShort #GeorgiaTie

GLITTER AIN’T GOLD
directed by Christian Nolan Jones
USA, 2022, English, 14 minutes
A sixth grader takes a trip with his best friend to the flea market in order to buy his first fake chain.
#NarrativeShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire

HEARTLESS
directed by Haukur Björgvinsson
Iceland, 2021, Icelandic, 15 minutes
Young couple Anna and Gunnar are deeply in love but they live in a society where people are assigned a new spouse by lottery every seven years. As their final day together approaches, they grapple with the nightmare of being torn apart and facing life with another partner.
#InCompetition #NarrativeShort

HOOK UP
directed by Laura Nagy
Australia, 2020, English, 15 minutes
When a double date with two older men turns ugly, Lucy must fight to protect her best-friend and recognises deeper feelings she has for her.
#NarrativeShort #PinkPeach #NewMavericks

KISS CHASE
directed by Ebele Tate
UK, 2021, English, 14 minutes
When eleven year old Nadine is left out in a game of kiss chase, she realizes image is currency and her value is low. On a quest to feminize herself, she finds herself in an unexpected situation she is not prepared for.|
#NarrativeShort #Noire #NewMavericks

LADYLIKE!
directed by Camila Florez
USA, 2021, English, 8 minutes
Jenn, a Chinese-American teenager longing for the teenage life of parties and boys depicted in American media, attempts to explore her sexuality while living in her conservative Asian home.
#NarrativeShort #WorldPremiere

LEASING SPACE
directed by Giovanni Tortorici
USA, 2022, English, 10 minutes
A couple navigates their commitment to their relationship when they adopt a star together.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort #GeorgiaTie #NewMavericks

LEYLAK
directed by Scott Aharoni & Dennis Latos
USA, 2021, Turkish/English, 17 minutes
In present day Queens, New York, a Turkish gravedigger is unable to face a shattering truth, and risks losing the dearest connection left in his life.
#NarrativeShort #InCompetition

MAN OR TREE
directed by Varun Raman & Tom Hancock
UK, 2021, English, 4 minutes
In the wilderness, a tree begins to question whether it may actually be a man tripping on hallucinogens.
#NarrativeShort

MOLES
directed by Vanja Victor Kabir Tognola
Switzerland, 2021, Italian, 15 minutes
Unable to afford a fancy holiday, a family pretends to be in the Bahamas by hiding at home and posting fake pictures on social media. Inebriated by likes, the parents forget their son's needs.
#NarrativeShort

MOSHARI
directed by Nuhash Humayun
Bangladesh, 2022, Bengali, 21 minutes
After the world is overrun with bloodthirsty creatures, two sisters survive together, spending their nights inside the only known protection - the moshari (mosquito net). However, their strained relationship might be as much of a threat as the dangers outside.
#InCompetition #NarrativeShort

NEST
directed by James Hunter
Australia, 2021, English, 9 minutes
An isolated father haunted by his child's cries of hunger takes up work as a timber feller only to be stopped by a mysterious alarm coming from deep in the woods.
#NarrativeShort

OUR OWN LAND
directed by Simon Helloco
France, 2021, French, 23 minutes
Two brothers, left on their own, live in complete freedom. They only forbid themselves to enter the first floor of the house.
#NarrativeShort

POOR GLENNA
directed by Jean-Paul DiSciscio
USA, 2021, English, 17 minutes
When her mutant son develops a taste for human flesh, a timid mother must find a victim to satisfy his ravenous appetite.
#NarrativeShort

POST-CITRUS
directed by Madison Hatfield
USA, 2022, English, 11 minutes
The fat bassist of an otherwise thin girl punk band must stand up for herself when her friend and bandleader suggests wearing orange peels as bikini cups during their album cover shoot.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort #GeorgiaTie #NewMavericks

RAYA
directed by Sepide Berenji
Iran, 2020 Persian, 14 minutes
After a teacher displeases them, Raya and her friends secretly retaliate. In the fallout from the prank and with an impending eviction at home, Raya weighs the morality of her choices and if there's a path forward that could also make the world a better place. 
#NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

ROY
directed by Tom Berkeley & Ross White
UK, 2021, English, 16 minutes
When a reclusive widower accidentally calls an adult hotline worker, an unlikely friendship is born.
#NarrativeShort

SHARK
directed by Nash Edgerton
Australia, 2021, English, 14 minutes
Completing the trilogy of wickedly dark comedy shorts that began with Spider and Bear, Nash Edgerton's onscreen alter ego, Jack, finally finds a perfect match in Rose Byrne as Sofie, a woman who loves pranks just as much as he does. Alas, the couple’s quest to outdo each other may lead to the most outrageous calamity of all.
#NarrativeShort

SHE KEEPS ME
directed by Erica Orofino
Canada, 2022, English/Italian, 16 minutes
The strained relationship between two sisters reaches a dangerous climax in this exploration of family ties, mental illness, and self sacrifice.
#NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

SPAGHETTER GETTER
directed by Jared Lapidus
USA, 2022, English, 8 minutes
The man-in-infomercials-who-can't-do-anything-right discovers he is trapped in a prison of his own uselessness.
#NarrativeShort

SUPERFAN
directed by Karina Lomelin Ripper & Marc Ripper
USA, 2021, English/Spanish, 15 minutes
A tween celebrity obsession pushes the boundaries of friendship during an ill-fated sleepover.
#NarrativeShort #CineMás

SUSHI NOH
directed by Jayden Rathsam Hua
Australia, 2021, English, 18 minutes
Trapped in the care of her lonely uncle, a young girl’s nightmares about a bizarre kitchen appliance manifest into reality.
#NarrativeShort

SWIPE
directed by Anthony Sneed
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
A delinquent teenage boy draws the shortest straw and must commit a petty theft.
#NarrativeShort

THE SYED FAMILY XMAS EVE GAME NIGHT
directed by Fawzia Mirza
USA, 2021, English, 11 minutes
All cards are on the table when a queer Pakistani Muslim woman brings her Puerto Rican partner home for the first time on the family's annual game night.
#NarrativeShort #PinkPeach #NewMavericks

THEREFORE, SOCRATES IS MORTAL
directed by Alexandre Isabelle
Canada, 2021, French, 12 minutes
Facing the climate crisis, Louise, a philosophy teacher, turns words into action.
#InCompetition #NarrativeShort

THIS IS OUR HOME
directed by A.K. Espada
USA, 2021, English, 13 minutes
When their apartment’s rat infestation escalates, a bleeding-heart vegan and her antagonistic roommate find themselves at odds over inhumane methods of extermination.
#NarrativeShort

TITAN
directed by Valéry Carnoy
Belgium/France, 2021, French, 19 minutes
Driven by his new friend Malik, Nathan prepares himself for a strange ritual to join a teens gang.
#NarrativeShort

TRAINING WHEELS
directed by Alison Rich
USA, 2022, English, 15 minutes
Enid, a socially inept woman who has never been in a romantic relationship, panics when she meets John and realizes he’s her person. She decides the safest, most logical thing to do is to prepare for their date by practicing a relationship with a man rented from a questionable website called Casanovas.
#NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

TRYING
directed by Jason Park
USA, 2022, English, 17 minutes
Inside a cheap motel room, Danny plans to take his own life…it’s quite hard.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort

WHILE MORTALS SLEEP
directed by Alex Fofonoff
USA, 2022, English, 14 minutes
When a cold case novelist’s career implodes, she seeks refuge at her friend’s remote vacation home. Upon arrival, she encounters a strange couple who claim to be the caretakers. As tensions build, a dark secret begins to emerge.
#NarrativeShort

WOLFDOG
directed by Nick Snow
USA, 2022, English, 11 minutes
Two women cross paths along a rural road on a night that changes both of their lives.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort

A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE
directed by Gauri Adelkar
USA, 2022, Hindu/English, 17 minutes
Ismat, an undocumented single mother, and a diligent worker at a garment shop in Queens finds herself at a crossroad of self-interest and morality after she secretly witnesses something at work.
#InCompetition #NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

ALMEDA
directed by Paul Hairston
USA, 2022, English/Spanish, 14 minutes
On September 8th, 2020 the Almeda Fire tore through Southern Oregon and burned more than 2,800 structures. Many belonged to tightly knit immigrant mobile home communities, some generations old. 
#WorldPremiere #DocumentaryShort

BABUSHKA
directed by Kristina Wagenbauer
Canada/Switzerland/Russia, 2021, Russian/English, 26 minutes
A Canadian director visits her grandmother in Russia after 25 years of separation. Traveling through family memories and those of a country, this roller coaster of emotions invites us into an intimate space for reconciliation.
#DocumentaryShort #NewMavericks

THE BEAUTIFUL CONFUSION
directed by Luis G. Santos
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
Director Luis G. Santos observes American photographer Gioncarlo Valentine at work as he discusses the many trials and tribulations that affect successful Black artists in this generation.
#DocumentaryShort #Noire #PinkPeach

CHILLY & MILLY
directed by William D. Caballero
USA, 2022, English, 9 minutes
11 years after filming a documentary about his family, director William D. Caballero returns home to revisit scenes with his parents, exploring his father's chronic health problems, as a diabetic with kidney failure, and his mother's role as his eternal caretaker. 
#InCompetition #DocumentaryShort #CineMás

CHUU CHUU
directed by Mackie Mallison
USA, 2022, Japanese/English, 15 minutes
A filmmaker takes a mental tangent into a child-like dimension where he can speak his family’s language and get back the time he lost with his grandmother when he was a child — something she was never able to do with her lost family.
#WorldPremiere #InCompetition #DocumentaryShort

DEERWOODS DEATHTRAP
directed by James P. Gannon
USA, 2022, English, 9 minutes
50 years ago Jack and Betty were hit by a train and survived. This is their story.
#DocumentaryShort

EVERY SUNDAY
directed by Keti Papadema
Cyprus, 2021, English/Tagalog, 24 minutes
A group of Filipino domestic workers in Cyprus prepare for a beauty pageant organized by their community, while a case of a serial killer targeting foreign female workers comes to the surface.
#DocumentaryShort #NewMavericks

F1-100
directed by Emory Chao Johnson
USA/Malaysia, 2021, English, 13 minutes
Video, illustration, and animation are interwoven in this transnational meditation through time and space of an international art student carrying a heavy burden. 
#InCompetition #DocumentaryShort

THE GAME GOD(S)
directed by Adrian L. Burrell
USA, 2022, English, 19 minutes
The Goddess of the Crossroads pushes us between the then and the now, exploring spiritual undercurrents moving through black market economies and tracing them back to the original sin at the heart of the American Dream.
#WorldPremiere #InCompetition #DocumentaryShort #Noire

A HOMECOMING I’LL REMEMBER
directed by Jasmine Rene' McCaskill
USA, 2021, English, 17 minutes
There’s no telling what can happen when you meet with your memory. Zoe Hinds and Pamela McKelvy remember their groundbreaking crownings that span nearly 30 years apart and recount their journeys through the institutions at which they paved the way.
#DocumentaryShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire #NewMavericks

LAST DAYS OF AUGUST
directed by Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck & Robert Machoian
USA, 2022, English, 13 minutes
Does a town still exist if nearly everyone has died or left? Using the photobook aesthetic, filmmakers Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck and Robert Machoian explore some nearly abandoned prairie towns of Nebraska and meditate on the blurred lines between still photography and cinema.
#InCompetition #DocumentaryShort

MEET THE TEAM TAKING J-SETTING FROM UNDERGROUND CLUBS TO THE MAIN STAGE
directed by Frederick Taylor
USA, 2020, English, 5 minutes
J-Sette dancers bring big energy to the floor, and the Dance Champz of Atlanta take this underground LGBTQ+ art form to the next level.
#DocumentaryShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire

NUISANCE BEAR
directed by Jack Weisman & Gabriela Osio Vanden
Canada, 2021, English, 14 minutes
An unconventional and visually stunning study of the polar bears who draw tourists to Churchill, Manitoba.
#InCompetition #DocumentaryShort

OBJECTS OF HEARTBREAK
directed by Grace Kim
USA, 2021, English, 8 minutes
A mixed-media, experimental documentary reflecting on the objects leftover from failed relationships, as retold by Brooklyn residents.
#DocumentaryShort #NewMavericks

REBYRTH
directed by Cydney Tucker
USA, 2021, English, 6 minutes
An Atlanta-based Doula works to save the lives of Black mothers as they journey from their pregnancies into motherhood. 
#DocumentaryShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire #NewMavericks

THE SENTENCE OF MICHAEL THOMPSON
directed by Kyle Thrash & Haley Elizabeth Anderson
USA, 2022, English, 25 minutes
Michael Thompson is the longest serving non-violent offender in the history of Michigan after being arrested for selling three pounds of marijuana to a close friend turned police informant. After twenty-five years, three appeals and two denied applications for clemency, the tables have finally turned and it seems like Michael finally has a chance at freedom.
#InCompetition #DocumentaryShort #Noire

SOME KIND OF INTIMACY
directed by Toby Bull
UK/France, 2021, English, 6 minutes
A filmmaker tries to communicate with the sheep living where his parents are buried.
#DocumentaryShort

THERE’S NO END
directed by Mattias Evangelista
USA, 2022, English, 20 minutes
In the wake of personal tragedy, an iconic indie-rock musician moves to the remote San Juan Islands to raise his only daughter. 
#InCompetition #DocumentaryShort

WINN
directed by Joseph East & Erica Tanamachi
USA, 2022, English, 17 minutes
A formerly incarcerated woman turned activist fights to legally end the shackling of incarcerated pregnant people in Georgia.
#WorldPremiere #DocumentaryShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire

YOU CAN’T STOP SPIRIT
directed by Vashni Korin
USA, 2021, English, 16 minutes
For a community of Black women, dressing up as baby dolls is a Mardi Gras tradition and a celebration of freedom.
#DocumentaryShort #Noire #NewMavericks

ANIMATED SHORTS

BIGFOOT TOOK MY PHOTO!
directed by Sasha Espinosa
USA, 2021, English, 6 minutes
Johanna has photographic proof that Bigfoot is real! That is, until Bigfoot himself steals it.
#AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

CRUMBS OF LIFE
directed by Katarzyna Miechowicz
Poland, 2020, No Dialogue, 7 minutes
The absurd adventures of three people inhabiting a small town by the sea - Una, who is experiencing peculiar anxiety about her own foot; G., cursed by a plump pony; and a mysterious Faceless Man.
#AnimatedShort

DESPOT
directed by Nicholas D'Agostino
USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
DESPOT tracks a disastrous day in the life of a world leader, peeling back the cartoonish veneer of a classic strong-arm dictator to reveal the true horrors beneath.
#AnimatedShort

FALL OF THE IBIS KING
directed by Mikai Geronimo & Josh O’Caoimh
Ireland, 2021, English, 10 minutes
The antagonist of a dark opera becomes increasingly unsettled following the unlikely return of the former lead actor.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort

THE FARMER AND THE LIGHTNING STORM
directed by Danielle Browne
USA/Colombia, 2021, English, 5 minutes
Burdened by frustration and fear, the Goddess of Lightning suppresses her abilities. Can a nearby Farmer help Lightning regain confidence in her powers, and by extension, in herself?
#AnimatedShort #NewMavericks #FamilyFriendly #Noire

HOPPER’S DAY
directed by Jingqi Zhang
USA, 2021, No Dialogue, 5 minutes
A cricket wants to achieve its dream in an abandoned quarry.
#WorldPremiere #AnimatedShort

LAIKA & NEMO
directed by Jan Gadermann & Sebastian Gadow
Germany, 2022, No Dialogue, 15 minutes
Nemo looks different. Nobody else wears a diving suit and such a huge helmet. But then he meets Laika, an astronaut. 
#AnimatedShort

LOCAL MIDDLE SCHOOLER
directed by Sanjna Bharadwaj
USA, 2022, English, 11 minutes
A girl with magic eyelashes is exploited for them by her school, her community, and eventually the government. She battles the weight of the world with the weight of being a middle schooler.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

MOTHER
directed by Subarna D
India, 2021, No Dialogue, 5 minutes
A woman faced with the prospect of becoming the next village circumciser realizes that she can't conform to the customs of her community when she is asked to circumcise her daughter and recounts her own harrowing experience.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

MUSICA QUARANTENA
co-created by Lilian T. Mehrel & Danielle Rhoda
UK/USA, 2022, No Dialogue, 4 minutes
A little girl’s love for her bedridden Papa inspires a town in lockdown to make music from their balconies.
#WorldPremiere #AnimatedShort #Noire

MY EX BOYFRIEND
directed by Cissi Efraimsson
Sweden/USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
Two lovers face a dilemma when one undergoes a strange transformation and begins leaking water.
#AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

MY FAT ARSE AND I
directed by Yelyzaveta Pysmak
Poland, 2020, Polish, 10 minutes
After dieting to the point of extreme thinness, a girl is given a royal invitation to a kingdom by the Angel of United Bitches of Slimbuttlandia– but are the Skinny Buttangels as lovely and harmless as they appear?
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

MY GRANDMOTHER IS AN EGG
directed by Wu-Ching Chang
Taiwan/UK, 2021, Mandarin, 9 minutes
Guided by family interviews, the filmmaker explores her grandmother's life as a T'ung-yang-hsi, or "future daughter-in-law", while reflecting on women's oppression and the struggle for freedom.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

MY PET VENUS
directed by Ariel Paxton 
USA, 2020, English, 3 minutes
A little girl buys a Venus Fly Trap that she doesn't know how to care for.
#AnimatedShort #GeorgiaTie #NewMavericks

NEW TRICKS
directed by Matt Corsillo
USA, 2021, English, 2 minutes
After accidentally hitting a dog with her car, a woman attempts to take the animal to the vet, but is impeded by its gruesome transformation.
#AnimatedShort

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DREAD
directed by Ida Melum
UK, 2021, English, 11 minutes
When a power outage ruins Ruby's bedtime routine, she finds herself haunted by some unwanted guests.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

THE OCEAN DUCK
directed by Huda Razzak 
USA, 2021, English, 7 minutes
A woman visits her ailing grandmother in a hospital during a flood, as an ancient tale comes to life.
#AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

PEOPLE PERSON
directed by Rymalena
USA, 2021, English, 15 minutes
Desperate to escape her reality, a young woman discovers a program that immerses her in her own subconscious through a myriad of virtual personas.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort

PIVOT
directed by Ana Gusson
Canada, 2021, English, 7 minutes
Growing up isn’t easy, and it’s no exception for 12-year-old Ashley whose well-meaning Mom has her own ideas about who Ashley should be. Finding herself in an impossible situation, Ashley must decide whether to wear a gaudy dress she hates or find the courage to stand up for herself and fight the inner monster that is holding her back.
#AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

SPROUT
directed by Nayt Cochran
USA, 2021, No Dialogue, 6 minutes
When a prize-winning plant causes self-doubt, a kind-hearted gardener nurtures a botanical-child’s individuality.
#AnimatedShort

A TINY TALE
directed by Sylvain Cuvillier, Chloé Bourdic, Théophile Coursimault, Noémie Halberstam, Maÿlis Mosny & Zijing Ye
France, 2020, No Dialogue, 8 minutes
An abandoned dog meets a young astronaut wannabe and a professional cyclist who keeps on trying to beat her highest score.
#AnimatedShort

THE VISIT
directed by Morrie Tan
Singapore, 2021, English/Mandarin, 9 minutes
Month after month, Ting visits her father in prison where they are only able to connect through a glass panel in a windowless cell. Despite these trying conditions, Ting is determined not to let anything come between their kinship.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS

BAD DREAM
directed by Camilo Diaz
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
Bad Dream is a visual representation of the black zeitgeist processing the violence of white supremacy. Impressionistic yet visceral in nature, Bad Dream is not only a representation of this experience, but a confrontation that forces viewers to consider their role in the racial structure of America.
#WorldPremiere #ExperimentalShort #GeorgiaTie

ETERNITY ON A LOOP
directed by Isabela Costa
Brazil/USA, 2021, Portuguese, 12 minutes
An employee of God takes a break from heaven’s bureaucracy and spends some time on Earth. 
#ExperimentalShort #NewMavericks #CineMás

ETHEREAL
directed by Isabelle Kanapé
Canada, 2019, Innu-Aimun/English/French, 3 minutes
A man spreads rumors about a local elder. To be forgiven, he will be put to the test. Ka tatishtipatakanit (Ethereal) is a poetic lesson about respect.
#ExperimentalShort

EYES AND HORNS
directed by Chaerin Im
Germany/South Korea/USA, 2021, No Dialogue, 6 minutes
Exploration of masculinity begins with the Minotaur, a mythical creature Picasso used to portray himself in his etching print series. The Minotaur goes through a violent struggle between being male and female. Finally, lines blur and boundaries of sexes disappear.
#ExperimentalShort #PinkPeach

FREE NOIR PAPILLON
directed by Lev Omelchenko
USA, 2022, English, 11 minutes
A mother explores her relationship to her pregnancy through dance, as she deals with her fear and hope about bringing a Black baby boy into the world in 2020.
#WorldPremiere #ExperimentalShort #GeorgiaTie

GLADIOLUS
directed by Azadeh Navai
Iran/USA, 2022, Farsi, 5 minutes
An ode to a flower that once enjoyed prominence in Iranian culture, Gladiolus tells the story of its ubiquitous role in life’s important ceremonies and how it became a victim of its own popularity.
#ExperimentalShort #NewMavericks

HOW TO BEHAVE AT A PARTY
directed by Allison Radomski
USA, 2021, English, 2 minutes
Do you feel weird around other people? Are you anxious at social gatherings? Do you often find yourself trying to seem like a normal, happy person, and then coming up short? Look no further, friend. Even though I’ve never, ever had those problems in my whole life, "How to Behave at a Party" is here to help.
#ExperimentalShort #GeorgiaTie #NewMavericks

IN THE FUTURE
directed by Kelly Gallagher
USA, 2021, English, 4 minutes
Knowing that another world is possible, individuals young and old share their hopes and dreams for the future.
#ExperimentalShort

KILL TIME
directed by Benjamin Rinehardt
USA, 2021, English, 8 minutes
An exploration of various realms, places which could be parking lots and alleyways, bars and hotels, as well as personal places such as our bedrooms and even our minds. Using painting, animation and mixed media it strives to look at and understand time and its strange elusive qualities.
#ExperimentalShort #WorldPremiere

LÁCRIMAS
directed by Jeremy Moss
USA, 2021, English, 14 minutes
The plants, they shine at night.  A melodrama of wavering moths, sparrows, cicadas, shadows, streams, and towering trees. A dizzying and displacing garden in a lower-key. Joan, don’t despair, tear down that tree. Paul, keep running, just flee. Burt, you ignorant f*** - it’s not your adding machine. Montgomery, stop knocking and leave.
#ExperimentalShort

MAY WE KNOW OUR OWN STRENGTH
directed by Jih-E Peng
USA, 2022, No Dialogue, 6 minutes
An abstract, hybrid narrative document centered around artist Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya’s similarly-titled piece exploring collective healing after sexual assault within AAPI communities, created tragically in the wake of the Atlanta spa shootings. In the spirit of the installation itself, this film recreates the process of trauma, the hurdles of healing, and the strength that can be found in sharing and community.
#WorldPremiere #ExperimentalShort #GeorgiaTie

PANDROG
directed by Jard Lerebours
USA, 2021, English, 1 minute
A poetic treatise on masculinity and the trappings of gender. Two lovers seek freedom away from Babylon. 
#ExperimentalShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire

WHISPER, RUSTLE
directed by Maureen Zent
USA, 2021, No Dialogue, 5 minutes
Order gives way to chaos. Chaos becomes ferment. Ferment spurs fecundity. 'Whisper, Rustle' depicts this cycle with natural and stylized elements drawn primarily from the poems and prose of W. B. Yeats. Stop motion animated objects include sand, pebbles, flower petals, oak bark, leaves, gravel, sponges, seeds, egg shells, a rotting log.
#ExperimentalShort #GeorgiaTie

EPISODIC

BRIDESMAN
directed by Julian Buchan
USA, 2022, English, 57 minutes
Bridesman follows Terry, a self-obsessed gay man, as he is forced to fulfill his bridesmaid duties for his unhinged best friend, despite his disdain for the construct of marriage and a secret romantic history with the groom. When Terry threatens to upstage the control freak Maid of honor, secrets are made public, parties are ruined and every relationship is pushed to its breaking point.
#Episodic #PinkPeach

CHIQUI
directed by Carlos Cardona
USA, 2022, Spanish/English , 30 minutes
It's 1987. Chiqui and Carlos immigrate from Colombia to New Jersey to find a better life for themselves and their unborn son. Upon their arrival, they quickly realize that the American dream is not as easy to achieve as they thought.
#Episodic #CineMás

I AM: JALAIAH
directed by Kayla Johnson
USA, 2021, English, 38 minutes
Jalaiah Harmon created one of the most viral dances of all time — the Renegade — at just 14 years old, yet she hardly reaped the fruits of her labor. But who is Jalaiah beyond this global dance phenomenon?
#WorldPremiere #Episodic #Noire #NewMavericks #GeorgiaTie

SOMETHING UNDONE
directed by Nicole Dorsey
Canada, 2021, English, 10 minutes
When a Foley artist goes home to settle her late mother's estate, she discovers a dark family secret and becomes obsessed with finding the truth.
#Episodic #NewMavericks

METTA DA FEIN 
directed by Carlo Beer, Urs Berlinger  
Switzerland, 2020, Rhaeto-Romanic, 22 minutes
In the most beautiful village in the world, every day seems the same - until peace is shattered by a series of mysterious animal killings.
#Episodic

MUSIC VIDEOS

AMBER MARK - 'COMPETITION'
directed by Cara Stricker, Amber Mark
USA/UK, 2021, English/German, 4 minutes
‘Competition’ comes from a state of always comparing yourself to others and how ruthless that competitive nature can be towards yourself and towards others. The film is a reminder of how much stronger we are together.
#MusicVideo #Noire #NewMavericks

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT - ‘VIBE’
directed by Tony Reames
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
Georgia's own Arrested Development is back for the final album and this is the lead single and video, "VIBE".
#MusicVideo #GeorgiaTie

BABY TATE - ‘PEDI’
directed by Norton
USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
F*** the high road, embrace the petty. In her video for "Pedi", Baby Tate literally pops into awkward situations to deliver an unhealthy dose of "karma".
#MusicVideo #GeorgiaTie

BLANC’
directed by Wenkai Wang 
USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
A couple went through emotional turbulence as if they lived in two different time zones during lockdown. #WorldPremiere #MusicVideo #PinkPeach #NewMavericks

COUNT IT ALL
directed by Joshua Cleveland
USA, 2021, English, 7 minutes
A dream-like journey into the consciousness of a black woman as she navigates identity under the mental and emotional harms surrounding institutional violence and Alienation within the American system.
#MusicVideo #GeorgiaTie #Noire

DON LIFTED - ‘GOLDEN (THE WAIT) FT. MADAMEFRAANKIE’
directed by Joshua Cannon & Nubia Yasin
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
“This visual is everything I saw in my head as I wrote the song. It’s confident, it's extra, it's decadent; it’s a fantastical version of how I see myself every time I sing those lyrics.”
#MusicVideo #Noire

DTG - 'I GET HAPPY WHEN I THINK OF YOU’
directed by Pong Tulyathan
USA, 2021, English, 2 minutes
An intoxicated and controlling man who is trying to show love in something that is not there anymore physically in human form, but is there to him mentally.
#MusicVideo #GeorgiaTie

FLORENT VOLLANT - ‘NENANTUAPMANAN’
directed by Isabelle Longnus
Canada, 2021, Innu, 4 minutes
Florant Vollant, an Innu singer songwriter goes on a quest in honour of his ancestors during which he performs a ritual.
#MusicVideo

HANA VU - ‘KEEPER’
directed by Maegan Houang
USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
No one notices when Hana Vu erupts into a cathartic breakdown at a family event.
#MusicVideo #NewMavericks

MICHAEL MYERZ - ‘DON’T GIVE UP’
directed by Kevin Daniel Lonano
USA, 2022, English, 3 minutes
Michael Myerz is locked in the fight for his life against the reigning Monster Boxer champion, the Moxer!
#MusicVideo #GeorgiaTie

MIPSTERZ - ‘ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM’
directed by Abbas Rattani
USA, 2021, English/Arabic, 5 minutes
“ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM” is a musically-driven vision of Muslim joy as resistance and liberation—an imaginative future where Muslims exist boldly.
#WorldPremiere #MusicVideo #Noire

NAOMI ALLIGATOR - ‘CONCESSION STAND GIRL’
directed by Corrinne James
USA, 2021, English, 2 minutes
A frog morphs through a colorful animated world, transforming into a variety of characters and landscapes. #MusicVideo #NewMavericks

OBOROZUKI
directed by Joseph Ros
Cuba, 2021, Spanish/Japan/Yoruba, 5 minutes
Katsushika Hokusai’s tentacular “Dream of the fisherman’s wife” and Afro Cuban drums are the protagonists of a syncretic ritual; music and dance lead this interesting cultural intermixing music video.
#MusicVideo #CineMás

PEACH PURÉE DE PÊCHES
directed by Stephanie Burbano
Canada, 2021, French/English, 3 minutes
Band stand fever dream with goddess Elle Barbara serenading you through the new/old sexual politic.
#WorldPremiere #MusicVideo #PinkPeach #NewMavericks

ROCHELLE BLOOM - ‘STORIES I CREATE IN MY HEAD’
directed by Derek Evans
USA, 2021, English, 4 minutes
The video is stark and unsettling, as is the video’s emotional narrative about the struggles of family life, what defines success and living up to the expectations of others.
#MusicVideo #GeorgiaTie

SOMEONE - ‘STRANGE WORLD’
directed by David Spearing
UK, 2021, English, 4 minutes
Stuck indoors during lockdown, a young woman uses her imagination to evoke magic and playfulness in the world around her, translated in a moving, modern dance.
#MusicVideo

SYD - ‘FAST CAR’
directed by Ethan Nelson and Graham Epstein
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
Syd (of The Internet) and her girlfriend, Ariana Simone, try their very best to film a steamy sex tape in the hills of Malibu. What starts as a seemingly impossible task ends in utter sonic bliss. 
#MusicVideo #PinkPeach

VIRTUAL REALITY

CHILD OF EMPIRE
directed by Sparsh Ahuja, Erfan Saadati
UK, 2022, English, 17 minutes
An animated virtual reality (VR) docu-drama experience which immerses viewers in one of the largest forced migrations in human history: the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan.
#VirtualReality

GREENWOOD AVENUE: A VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE
directed by Tarik Jackson, Talibah L. Newman, Spade Robinson
USA, 2021, English, 20 minutes
"Greenwood Avenue: A Virtual Reality Experience" brings us into the 1920’s world of a 14-year-old Black girl experiencing first love & devastating loss in America’s Black Wall Street.
#VirtualReality #Noire

HYDROCOSMOS
directed by Milad Tangshir
Italy, 2021, No Dialogue, 19 minutes
An immersive experience which recounts the arrival of water and the emergence of conscious life on a remote corner of the universe. It’s an abstract tale, told through a symphony of performative bodies, images, sounds, lights and shadows.
#VirtualReality

MONTEGELATO
directed by Davide Rapp
Italy, 2021, Italian, 28 minutes
A montage film in VR, the first of its kind. Hundreds of cinematic sequences define a three-dimensional collage of the Monte Gelato waterfalls (Rome, Italy) as they have been filmed in more than 180 productions including films, TV series and commercials. From peplum to western, from comedy to thriller, from science-fiction to erotica: sounds and videos expand in an immersive landscape that transports the Falls in time and space.
#VirtualReality

VIRTUALLY THERE
directed by Leon Oldstrong
UK, 2021, English, 23 minutes
Imagine seeing a tragic incident from many different angles – stepping into the shoes of everyone affected? Virtually There allows viewers to experience the effects on the people behind the statistics in an immersive 360-degree film that aims to build an emotional understanding of the devastating impact of knife crime amongst young people.
#VirtualReality #Noire